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Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan has heaped praise on young cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who made headlines after becoming one of the youngest players to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at just 14 years of age. Calling the feat 'unthinkable', Dhawan hailed the teenager’s composure, power-hitting, and fearlessness on the big stage.
Dhawan expressed admiration for the youngster’s extraordinary talent and confidence against top international bowlers.
"How old is he, 13-14? To play in the IPL at 14 is a very big thing. The way he was hitting the bowlers and standing tall in front of the big boys of world cricket at such a young age is remarkable. Thanks to IPL, our kids can now dream of making it big from as early as five years old. Vaibhav manifested that dream. A big congratulations to him and his family. It's a proud moment for all of us in cricket," said Dhawan in a recent interaction.
While applauding the milestone, Dhawan also offered words of caution, highlighting the challenges that lie ahead for Suryavanshi, particularly in dealing with fame, expectations, and the mental toll of high-stakes cricket.
“For him, the challenge is going to be how he handles fame, attention, and money. A blessing for him is that he is in great hands — Rahul Bhai and Vikram Paji (coaches at Rajasthan Royals) — who focus on building not just great cricketers but good human beings too,” Dhawan said.
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Looking ahead, Dhawan emphasized that Suryavanshi’s second IPL season may present a tougher test, as opponents will come prepared with specific strategies to counter his strengths.
“The second year is going to be a bit tough. Bowlers will study him and plan better. He has to adapt and grow. Mental health and handling pressure will be crucial going forward because expectations including his own will rise. I'm really looking forward to seeing how he manages that,” Dhawan concluded.