'Go talk to Brian Lara': Vaibhav Suryavanshi could have sleepless nights after being told…

What were you doing at 14? Skipping through TV channels to watch your favourite show, or thinking of ways to reveal your feelings to your crush? Were you the school topper, or the sports freak that would emerge as the star of the show every evening? Well, for Vaibhav Suryavanshi, none of that matters. The rising teenager of Indian cricket is busy making headlines, capturing the attention of fans not only in India but across the world. In the IPL 2025, Suryavanshi arrived with a blistering knock – a record-breaking century for the Rajasthan Royals against the Gujarat Titans. Then, not too long after, Suryavanshi, on his maiden tour of England, smashed the second-fastest century by an India Under-19 batter, grabbing fan attention in the UK. Young kids stopped by to click a picture, fan girls travelled long distances to catch a glimpse of the fastest rising star in Indian cricket, and possibly world cricket too. WHOA! Vaibhav Suryavanshi's technique mirrors Brian Lara's? (AFP Images)

However, despite all that he's done, a lot of distractions come along the way as well when you're young. Ask Prithvi Shaw. With Suryavanshi, it's so far so good, but that doesn’t mean he is guaranteed to be that way forever. Which is why none other than the legendary Rahul Dravid is keeping a close eye on him. As former India coach Ravi Shastri once mentioned on air during the India vs England Test series, Suryavanshi, at just 14, is flooded with endorsement offers, but is being monitored watchfully by the Wall to ensure the kid stays grounded.

Also Read: Ajit Agarkar gets Vaibhav Suryavanshi request for India's Asia Cup squad

But even for the most dedicated youngsters, here's a question. How do you ignore and not let it get to your head when someone compares you to Brian Lara? Yes, the Prince of Trinidad, the only batting competition that there ever was to the ‘God' of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar. Surely, that promises to throw your mind off a little, doesn't it? Former India batter Ambati Rayudu sees shades of the great Trinidadian in Vaibhav and suggests it won't be a bad idea for Suryavanshi to perhaps ring up the great man himself and have a word about his batting and future.

Also Read: Vaibhav Suryavanshi put on alert, told to handle ‘fame, money’ for India debut; ‘Next IPL will be tough,’ says Dhawan

"His bat speed is extraordinary. The bat whip that he generates, I hope nobody changes that. He should get better. Someone like Lara... maybe go and talk to him. He also had a similar type of bat lift. So he can learn about how to control the bat speed when you are defending and when you are playing with a soft hand. So if he learns that, then he will be an extraordinary talent," said Rayudu on Shubhankar Mishra's podcast.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi should avoid listening to too many people

First Tendulkar, now Lara. What next, Virat Kohli? Why not? After all, no youngster has quite grabbed the attention like Suryavanshi. The world heard of Sachin when he was coming through the ranks. The same for Kohli. Heck, everywhere Dravid went, he was bombarded with 'Shubman Gill' murmurs. But Suryavanshi's popularity is something else altogether. It has soared, and how? If you're Suryavanshi or his fan, you surely hope not, because the world is yet to see a lot more of him in the time to come.

"He only has to focus on one thing, and that is he should not be listening to too many people. Don't listen to people; just back your talent. And for coaches also, it is important that they don't give him too much advice. Leave him. If he is guided cautiously, he will be an extraordinary talent. He is lucky that Rahul (Dravid) bhai is with him. Rahul Bhai will take care of him," added Rayudu.

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