It's not a biological rule written in stone, but the body of a 14-year-old boy is still just that of a child. Its muscle mass and strength are still just shaping up. Try explaining that to Vaibhav Suryavanshi though, and he will probably laugh you out of the room. With utter nonchalance, he smashed current international bowlers en route to becoming the youngest-ever IPL and overall men's T20 centurion.
The IPL is in its 18th year. That means Vaibhav was born almost three years after the league began. Men's T20 cricket has been played formally since February 2005. In other words, this kid from Samastipur, Bihar, has done what hasn't been done in over two decades.
Smells Like Teen Spirit
On Monday, when he scored his whirlwind 101 off 38 balls against the Gujarat Titans to help Rajasthan chase down 210 and snap their five-match losing streak, the two things that took everyone's breath away (aside from the 14-year old's incredible calmness at the crease in just his third IPL game) were his physical strength and his shock-proof confidence. Sure, that physical strength is a combination of genes and training. But it's the latter that is more interesting for this writer, because it speaks volumes about how Vaibhav's generation views the world.
If you are a parent or someone who regularly interacts with adolescent boys and girls in your family or line of work, the one thing that you must have noticed is the sheer lack of any kind of awkwardness in young Indian kids nowadays. For centuries perhaps, Indians have associated the teenage years with gangly kids who are mostly shy and awkward, still coming into their own, trying to find themselves, often hesitant about putting themselves out there. But now, more often than not, you will find very confident young men and women. You could argue that it's mostly an urban phenomenon, thanks largely to the mushrooming private schools, which have so much more on their curriculum than just academics and extracurricular activities.
Lara, Lara
However, a certain amount of that confidence is seeping into rural India as well. Vaibhav, who hails from the Tajpur village in the Samastipur district of Bihar, is a classic example of that. With that unbridled confidence often comes clarity of thought and focused vision. Vaibhav was 13 when he was bought by the Rajasthan Royals, and yet, when he strides out to bat, the cameras never pick up even an iota of nervousness - neither on his face nor in his body language. He is either very good at hiding his emotions, or like many other young men and women his age these days, is unfazed by grand things, even if they come in the shape of an IPL stage, playing alongside and against some of the biggest names in world cricket, or a stadium full of people chanting his name.
What's really interesting about his story, though, is that he grew up idolising someone who is not a current cricketer. Vaibhav, a left-handed batter, wanted to model his game after one of the most stylish left-handed batters to ever play the game - the legendary Brian Lara. It's not surprising, then, that Vaibhav, just like the aggressive Lara, has a ridiculously high backlift and backs himself to smash every delivery he faces for a six. After all, the very first IPL ball he faced, delivered by a bowler who has played 83 international matches, was dispatched for a six.
He was quoted by the IPLT20 site as saying, "In my mind, I was clear that if the ball comes in my radar, I will hit it." Just sheer confidence.
Block Out The Noise
See the ball, hit the ball. Everything else is just noise and needs to be shut out. The Virender Sehwag-esque mantra, which was once an aberration, has now become the rule. It's another reminder of just how mature cricketers are these days when it comes to keeping things simple. Last Monday, it didn't matter one bit to Vaibhav that he was up against a bowling line-up that boasted a combined experience of as many as 697 international matches. It didn't matter to him that he was still technically filling in for the injured Sanju Samson. It didn't matter to him that he was playing in a packed Sawai Mansingh stadium. All that mattered was the next ball he was going to face. And on a pitch that was hard and flat, with consistent bounce, Vaibhav had the license to unleash his full arsenal of strokes, some of which were just downright audacious. And yet, he looked completely in control. Even his celebration after completing his century was composed. A quick salute with the bat to the dugout, which said loud and clear, "I belong here".
A lot of the credit for where Vaibhav finds himself currently, of course, must also go to his parents and to the Royals franchise, one that is known to scout for and invest in young talent. "I am what I am because of my parents." This statement by the 14-year-old tells the story of not just Vaibhav himself, but countless other Indian kids who have managed to keep their sporting dreams alive only and only because of the sacrifices of their family members. It wasn't surprising to read that Vaibhav's father would take him to Patna almost every single day for practice, travelling nearly 90 kilometres from Samastipur, to ensure that his family's humble background doesn't kill Vaibhav's most cherished ambition. Or, that his mother slept three hours a day and woke up at 2 am to prepare food for him. Or, that his father quit his job and his elder brother took up one just so that his father could continue paving the way for him. Scratch the surface of any Indian sport, and you will find countless such tales of sacrifice and dedication. It's not every day that the deserving get a life-changing opportunity. But when a story like Vaibhav's emerges, it gives us nourishment to stay hopeful.
Royal Treatment
In November last year, when Vaibhav, then in the eighth grade, was bought for Rs 1.1 crore, making him the youngest cricketer ever with an IPL contract, it raised many eyebrows. Sure, the Royals have been known to invest in young talent, but splurging over a crore of a limited auction purse on a complete rookie, did that really make sense? Well, ask the likes of batting coach Vikram Rathour and, of course, head coach Rahul Dravid, who Vaibhav impressed during trials. Dravid, in fact, was so happy with Vaibhav's historic century that he stood up from his wheelchair to applaud the teenager.
Kudos also to the Royals scouts for zeroing in on him, and to the Royals management for going as high as Rs 1.1 crore to beat the likes of Delhi Capitals, who were also very interested in acquiring his services.
This is not surprising, considering Vaibhav at 13 had scored a 58-ball ton for India U-19 in a youth Test with Australia (104 off 62 balls). He was also the youngest ever Ranji Trophy debutant, earning his Bihar cap at 12 years and 284 days, which, according to ESPNCricinfo, made him the youngest Indian first-class debutant since 1986.
There's no doubt at all that this kid is special. But what next for him?
Learning From Others
Over the decades, Indian cricket has had many batting prodigies - from Sachin Tendulkar, who debuted for India at 16 years and 205 days in 1989, to Vinod Kambli, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Reetinder Sodhi, Virat Kohli, Prithvi Shaw, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Priyam Garg, Sarfaraz Khan, Shubman Gill, and many more. Some made it big, while others didn't. And it's in the second group of players that Vaibhav, his family and well-wishers will find the lessons they need to learn at this juncture of his career. Much more important than knowing what he needs to do next is knowing what he shouldn't do.
Cricket at the highest level, whether international or franchise-based, comes with a thousand different distractions. And this is where Vaibhav needs to surround himself with the right people. It is very, very easy for a youngster to lose his or her way in the shiny world of IPL cricket. Not every 14-year-old is chased for soundbites, not every 14-year-old becomes a household name, and not every 14-year-old evolves into a Sachin or a Virat. For that to happen, hard work and dedication has to trump everything else. It's good to see a solid mentor like Rahul Dravid taking care of the Royals and Vaibhav right now.
'A star is born', screamed one headline after Vaibhav's mind-boggling IPL feat. Let us all come together to ensure that this Indian star isn't dimmed by anything.
(The author is a former sports editor and primetime sports news anchor. He is currently a columnist, features writer and stage actor)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
