Mumbai, June 8:
Standing on the cusp of his India debut, young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should be allowed to settle down, and he should not be burdened with expectations, cautioned former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly here on Sunday.
The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi became the youngest ever to be featured in the Indian cricket team when he was picked in the T20 squads for away assignments in Ireland and England, followed by the Asian Games in Japan.
“I think we should let him be, he’s just 15-year-old and I don’t think he’ll bother too much about pressure and that’s what we get to see him in the IPL,” Ganguly told PTI in an exclusive interaction here during the launch of Kabuni.
The former BCCI president said conditions in the UK will be a lot different from what Sooryavanshi encountered in the IPL, and he will be challenged to adapt his game.
“Obviously, playing for India is different and he will be touring where the wickets will be a little different,” Ganguly said.
“It will seam and there will be a bit more bounce and a bit more movement with the new ball, so the game is a bit different, but I think he’s got enormous talent,” he added.
“So just let him be, don’t expect the world from him straightaway. Just allow him to settle down because you know he’s got a lot of talent like many others in India,” Ganguly said.
Meanwhile, former South Africa batter AB de Villiers did not read much into Sooryavanshi’s lack of experience and said he has “broken down the door” for national team selection.
“It is easy to say that he is still too young or he is not ready or (needs to) go for more experience,” de Villiers said.
With both Ganguly and de Villiers acknowledging Sooryavanshi’s immense potential, the focus now shifts to how the teenager handles the biggest challenge of his fledgling career.
While his fearless strokeplay and maturity beyond his years have already captured the imagination of fans and selectors alike, the transition from franchise cricket to international cricket is seldom straightforward.
India’s management will hope to nurture the youngster carefully, allowing him the time and space to learn from senior professionals and adapt to unfamiliar conditions without the burden of unrealistic expectations.
If managed wisely, Sooryavanshi’s selection could mark the beginning of a long and successful international journey rather than merely a fleeting moment of hype, with Indian cricket eager to see whether its youngest-ever international can fulfil the immense promise that has brought him to the national stage at such a tender age.