23-04-2025
A 14 -year-old at the IPL?!?
Last week, a 14-year-old kid debuted at the IPL. Let that sentence sink in for a moment. Vaibhav Suryavanshi – a teen from Samastipur, Bihar – debuted at the most competitive professional cricket tournament in the world. Not only that, he went on to tonk the first ball he faced into the stands for a sixer! For years, Indian parents and teachers have told us that 'first impression is the best impression'. The kid took the phrase literally, and smashed a six before his voice even cracked. While his achievement is incredible in itself, I can't help but wonder – does it put pressure on the regular, happy-go-lucky 14 year olds in India?
Let's be honest – Vaibhav's achievement changes the game of cricket – and parenting! A few years ago, sports and academics were considered different streams. You could confidently say 'He is average in studies, but is very good at sports'. Films would often have dialogues like 'If Sachin's parents had put board exam pressure on him, he wouldn't have become Tendulkar'. But with his extraordinary debut, Vaibhav has set the bar too high. For Indian parents, it must no longer be enough to break into the Under-16 team. I can imagine a kid in a cricket helmet and pads – looking like a tiny astronaut – as his father says 'He debuted in IPL at 14. What are you doing?'
Which brings me to the real question – what was I doing at 14? I was in Class 9, a scared under-confident boy navigating the simple pleasures and pimple pains of puberty. Our Biology teacher had decided to skip the 'Life Processes 2' chapter in Biology like it was the trailer of a film he didn't want us to watch. As a result, I spent the next few years doing self-research. There was no ChatGPT, so I delved into literature (with the books sold near the local bus stand), cinema (the late-night variety), and group discussions (with classmates and seniors). While Vaibhav Suryavanshi was smashing sixes, I was looking up the definition of 'pollination' in the Oxford High School Dictionary.
Which makes Vaibhav's achievement so astonishing. To juggle school, cricket coaching, match pressure, and Pokemon evolutions is not easy. While most cricketers are discussing strategy in the dressing room, he is probably finishing homework. While they discuss swing and seam, he is solving trigonometry problems. He has to face off opposition bowlers, and navigate the tricky waters of dealing with the opposite gender. And god forbid – if his second match isn't as exciting – the same people praising him will gather with shiny pitchforks.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi's achievement is commendable, and will inspire thousands of children to pursue sports as a career. If you're a teenager reading this column, know that it is okay even if you didn't debut in the IPL as a teenager. For every Vaibhav Suryavanshi, there is a Praveen Tambe who debuted at 41. If you are a parent with a teenage child, go easy on them. A lot has been written about the kid. But the most remarkable aspect of the match was not Vaibhav's debut, but what happened when he got out. He broke down into tears as he left the pitch. It was a reminder that no matter how great his achievement, he is still a young kid who cries when given out. Amidst all the money and business in the league, it was a reminder that cricket is after all, a sport. Where we all become kids for a few hours, and then wake up to return to our jobs in the morning!
(The writer's views are personal)
