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Debate grows over handling the 15-year-old prodigy’s emotions and expectations amid early fame and scrutiny

Wonder boy Vaibhav Sooryvanshi was seen crying in the dugout on Friday after the Rajasthan Royals lost to the Gujarat Titans despite his high score. Earlier, he was caught sitting alone, crying, near the ropes after the Royals lost to the Kolkata Knight Riders. His scores didn’t matter; his team’s loss did. And he couldn’t control the emotion. The disappointment on his face when he was out was heart-wrenching. Despite his attempts to hide it, you can see the 15-year-old’s vulnerability. At an age when he should be thinking about college, he thinks about team victory. You are reminded of Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli, who played international cricket at a similar age and were centre of attraction. One went on to be the God of Cricket, and the other destroyed himself. What went wrong? And what do Vaibhav’s parents and mentors need to do to protect the boy and groom him? Rushikesh Bamne discusses with cricketers and a sports psychologist.

Jatin Paranjape, Member, BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee

For the first time since Sachin Tendulkar, I am seeing this kind of talent in a player. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a precious gem that our country has been blessed with. However, we should not rush to play him in the Indian team. That boy took the IPL by storm last year in his very first season. Following that, the storm from Vaibhav's bat has continued in this year's IPL as well. He is among top two batters in Orange Cap race and has dismantled world-class international bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Perhaps the selection committee will soon select him for the Indian team as well. He is smashing the white ball with ease. However, he should be allowed to play at least one or two seasons in first-class cricket. This will help him become more grounded and settled. Sachin became a great player because he corrected the flaws in his game at a very young age. In an Under-19 tournament against Pakistan, Vaibhav survived twice and was eventually dismissed by a bouncer from the very same bowler. The word 'defend' might not even exist in his dictionary. Therefore, even though he possesses skills like Sachin, he should give himself time to settle down. I have doubts about whether Vaibhav will defend the ball in the red-ball format.

Siddhesh Lad, Mumbai Cricketer