‘Talent should be nurtured, not marketed': BCCI told to protect 14-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Former India head coach Greg Chappell has warned the BCCI against managing 14-year-old cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The young left-hander shot to fame after being selected by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 auction, and later with his thrilling century against Gujrat Titans last month.
Chapell warned that while Suryavanshi bats with the authority of a man twice his age, he is 'still a child - physiologically, neurologically, emotionally.'
'His brain is still wiring itself, his values still forming, his identity still fragile. In that context, such acclaim, such expectation, such public adulation, can become a double-edged sword.' Chapell noted in his column for ESPNCricinfo.
He added that child prodigies can be a 'double narrative', giving hope and a sense of wonder to fans but also being forced to carry burdens that they are not equipped to handle.
To make his point, Chapell gave the example of Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli, one of them suceeded while the other failed to balance fame with discipline.
'Sachin Tendulkar succeeded as a teenager not simply due to talent but because of a solid support system - a stoic temperament, a wise coach, a family that protected him from the circus. On the other hand, Vinod Kambli, equally talented and perhaps more flamboyant, struggled to balance fame and discipline. His fall was as dramatic as his rise. Prithvi Shaw is another wunderkind who has fallen but may yet find a way back to the pinnacle,' Chappell added.
Chapell added that it was up to the cricket board, along with other stakeholders, to protect the young cricket prodigy. He noted, 'It is incumbent on the cricketing ecosystem - the BCCI, the franchises, mentors, and the media - to protect him. Talent can't be bubble-wrapped, but it can be provided a buffer. It must be guided, not glorified; nurtured, not just marketed,'.
The former India coach suggests a few ways to protect young and emerging talent in cricket. First, he says, there should be licensed child psychologists as part of every elite youth programme.
Secondly, he adds that commercial interests must come second to the mental health of players and contracts should require them to continue their education. And, he adds, the cricketer's family and trusted adults must remain central to the child's decision-making process, not just act as cheerleaders.
First Published: 4 May 2025, 10:15 AM IST
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Sad Virat Kohli retired like this, I'd have made him Test captain: Ravi Shastri
Former India coach Ravi Shastri expressed his disappointment over the manner in which Virat Kohli retired, offering a candid assessment of how events unfolded following the tour of Australia. Shastri stressed that better communication was needed among the stakeholders of Indian cricket, adding he would have had no hesitation in appointing Kohli as Test captain ahead of the England Kohli retired from Test cricket in May, taking many by surprise. The former captain announced his decision in an emotional social media post midway through the IPL 2025 when you go, that's when people will realise how big a player he was. I feel sad that he is gone, the way he's gone. I think it could have been handled better. There should have been more communication. If I had anything to do with it, I would have made him captain straight away after Australia,' Ravi Shastri told Sony Sports. Kohli's decision came just days after Rohit Sharma called time on his own Test career. While Rohit's retirement was somewhat expected, Kohli stepping away from the format he loved most caught many off guard." , ..." - Ravi ShastriWatch 'Bharat Tum Chale Chalo, Kahani 21-22 ki' from 15th June, only on Sony LIV & Sony Sports Network TV channels Sony LIV (@SonyLIV) June 11, 2025Sources told India Today that Kohli had informed the BCCI and selectors of his decision in May, and that a key board member had attempted to convince him to stay on for the England Kohli proceeded with his retirement, sharing a heartfelt farewell message in which he explained his reasons for leaving behind the format that 'tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life'.Earlier in May, Ravi Shastri also confirmed that Kohli had spoken to him before taking the major decision regarding his Test career. Kohli finished his red-ball journey with 9,230 runs from 130 will now be without three of their biggest match-winners—Kohli, Rohit, and R Ashwin—for the upcoming tour of England, starting 20 June. The series also marks the beginning of India's new World Test Championship Gill will lead the side, with Rishabh Pant named vice-captain for the five-Test Kohli will continue to play one-day internationals for India. He retired from T20I cricket after winning the World Cup in 2024. Kohli ended his 18-year-long wait for an IPL trophy earlier this month when RCB defeated Punjab Kings in the final to win the elusive crown. You May Also Like
India.com
3 hours ago
- India.com
‘A Leader For The Next 10 Years': Robin Uthappa Backs Shubman Gill As India's Test Captain For The Next Decade
As Team India enters a new era with fresh faces and fresh leadership, former cricketer Robin Uthappa has offered strong support for Shubman Gill, the newly appointed Test captain. With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma having retired from Test cricket, the reins of Indian red-ball leadership now rest on the shoulders of the 25-year-old prodigy from Punjab, a move Uthappa believes could pay dividends for the next decade. Robin Uthappa praised the BCCI's decision to promote Shubman Gill to Test captaincy, stating: 'Shubman is just 24 or 25 right now. If he gets this right, then you can see him leading the Indian Test side for the next 10 years.' Highlighting Gill's batting consistency and composed demeanor, Uthappa believes India has invested in a 'high-quality bat' who can grow into a long-term leader, provided he is given time and space to evolve into the role. Experience as IPL Captain Proves Valuable Uthappa also reflected on Gill's leadership with the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025 season. Though relatively new to captaincy, Gill impressed with his on-field decision-making, tactical clarity, and calm presence under pressure. 'You could see the intensity, the way he backed his players, and took control of critical moments. Those are the hallmarks of a good leader,' said Uthappa. Backed by the Greats: Kirsten & Ponting Also Support Gill It's not just Uthappa. Former India coach Gary Kirsten described Gill as 'smart' and 'well-prepared,' stating: 'He has all the raw materials to be a really good leader. The key will be how he's supported and mentored during this phase.' Meanwhile, Australian legend Ricky Ponting also backed Gill, but with a slight caveat. Ponting suggested Gill might consider batting at No. 4 to ease the pressure and manage the dual demands of captaincy and opening the batting, especially in challenging overseas conditions like England. The Road Ahead As India begins its five-Test series against England in the WTC 2025 cycle, Gill will be tested not only for his leadership tactics but also for his ability to guide a relatively young side through pressure situations.
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Ravi Shastri on Virat Kohli's Test retirement: ‘If I had anything to do with it, I would have made him captain after Australia'
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has said that if he had anything to do with the decision-making process, he would have handed over the Test captaincy to Virat Kohli immediately after the Australia series ended earlier this year. The captaincy of the Indian men's test team has been a talking point recently after the retirement of Rohit Sharma in the middle of the Indian Premier League season, after it emerged that the selectors were looking to move on from the veteran opening batter for the five-match series coming up in England. Rohit had earlier stood down from the role ahead of the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, citing his own poor form. Then Kohli too announced his retirement from the red-ball format. The BCCI then handed over the reins of the Test team to Shubman Gill. Ravi Shastri, who had multiple stints in India's dressing room but most crucially as the head coach from 2017-2021 when Kohli was the captain, said that that his retirement could have been handled better. 'It's when you go then, that's when people will realize how big a player he was. I feel sad that he is gone and the way he is gone,' Shastri is quoted as saying by Sony Sports in a promo video for a docu-series released on Wednesday. 'I think it could have been handled better. There should have been more communication. If I had anything to do with it, I would have made him captain straightaway after Australia,' the former India captain added. 🗣️ "𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦…" – Ravi Shastri Watch 'Bharat Tum Chale Chalo, Kahani 21-22 ki' from 15th June, only on Sony LIV & Sony Sports Network TV channels — Sony LIV (@SonyLIV) June 11, 2025 Kohli ended his test career with 9230 runs in 123 matches with an average of 46.85 and 30 centuries. His form too had tapered off in Australia, after starting the series with a century in Perth as India took a 1-0 lead under Jasprit Bumrah's captaincy. Kohli struggled in the channel outside stump, repeatedly edging behind the stumps. But since he retired, there have been calls for him reconsider his decision, while he has also been hailed for making Test cricket a priority right through his career. 'Stats don't do justice. The way he was an ambassador for Test cricket, especially the way he played overseas. I am glad, I was part of it,' Shastri added further. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar had said, while announcing the Test squad for England, that Kohli reached out in April to inform the BCCI that he was done with Test cricket. 'Virat reached out early April and said he wants to finish,' Agarkar said. 'We've seen him give 200% to every ball that he plays, even when he is not batting or he's in the field. He probably felt that he had given everything that he had and if he can't keep up to the standards that he set for himself over the years, and how good he has been, and maybe it was time for him. It has come from him. You've got to respect that.' Gill-led India will begin the Test series in Leeds on June 20th, in what is a fresh start to a new World Test Championship cycle.
