Young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s rapid rise raises development concerns

Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s meteoric ascent has captured the imagination of cricket followers across the globe. Barely 14, the Bihar opener has already demonstrated extraordinary hitting power and lightning-quick bat speed-traits usually associated with seasoned international players. His latest exhibition of dominance came in a lopsided Vijay Hazare Trophy encounter, where he smashed a breathtaking 190 off just 84 balls against Arunachal Pradesh.

While such feats underline his immense talent, they have also sparked debate about whether he is being tested enough at this stage of his career. Bihar currently compete in the Plate group of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where the standard of bowling is unlikely to mirror the challenges Suryavanshi will face at the elite level. This gap in competition, some believe, could slow his long-term development.

In a recent interaction, former India selector Devang Gandhi highlighted two major concerns. Firstly, performances against weaker opposition make it difficult for selectors to accurately judge how Suryavanshi would cope against top-quality bowlers. Secondly, dominating such attacks regularly may encourage technical shortcuts that could later become difficult to correct.

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“From a selection perspective, these kinds of records don’t carry much weight,” Gandhi explained after Bihar posted a staggering world-record total of 574 runs in their tournament opener. He stressed that the BCCI must take the initiative to ensure players like Suryavanshi, emerging from smaller cricketing centres, are provided opportunities at a higher competitive level.

Gandhi suggested that exposure to demanding First-Class cricket is crucial for the teenager’s progression. Red-ball cricket, he argued, would test Suryavanshi’s temperament, technique, and patience far more rigorously than the white-ball formats he has mostly featured in so far.

“For his overall growth, he needs to be pushed into challenging First-Class matches,” Gandhi said. “Right now, he is largely confined to limited-overs cricket. The BCCI must find a pathway that gives him consistent exposure to top-quality red-ball cricket.”

He also cautioned that prolonged spells against substandard opposition could prove counterproductive. At such a formative age, repeated success without sufficient resistance can allow flaws to creep into a player’s game—issues that might demand far greater effort to rectify later.

“It would be unfortunate if the time he spends in domestic cricket doesn’t truly add value to his development,” Gandhi noted. “Young players can pick up bad habits quickly if they aren’t challenged regularly.”