Shamik Chakraborty at Eden Gardens
The story goes like this — an Indian batsman, now very famous, booked a Merc after getting his first IPL contract. He got a call from a BCCI official the next day, berating him for his profligacy and advising him to invest in real estate rather than a swanky car. The moral of the story was about spending money wisely.
Good mentoring is essential for any sportsperson who becomes rich and famous at a very young age. Sachin Tendulkar had his elder brother Ajit. Vinod Kambli probably lacked someone who could help him stay grounded.
This brings us to Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his sudden rise to stardom, following his 38-ball 101 blitzkrieg against Gujarat Titans. But even before he had faced a delivery in this year’s IPL, the teenager from Bihar became a millionaire, with Rajasthan Royals buying him for Rs 1.1 crore at the mega auction. The challenge for the youngster is to live up to expectations. The bigger challenge will be to keep his feet on the ground.
“We are just trying to educate him (Suryavanshi) on the things around and look after him,” said Shane Bond, the Royals bowling coach, at the pre-match press conference.
Social media, which often gives poison a platform, can complicate matters for a young kid — and the Royals management is aware of that. “Shield him a little bit from the social media stuff and all the trappings that come with the way he started,” Bond said. “But he is a lovely kid, I really like him. He is quiet.”
Going forward, the southpaw will experience more failures than successes. At his age, he is naturally a work in progress. Bond addressed that. “You know, he is going to fail sometimes, and he is going to have to learn to deal with that, with someone so young,” said the former New Zealand fast bowler. “He is obviously a seriously talented player, but he is also still a kid, you know, so he is sort of learning on the go. (But) I love his steely determination and the confidence in himself.”
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