Vaibhav Suryavanshi is the youngest IPL centurion© BCCI/Sportzpics
Like most of the cricket world, World Cup-winning former India pacer Madan Lal is thoroughly impressed by 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s breathtaking IPL performances but he also has a word of caution for the rising star — talent alone won’t be enough going forward. Lal said the prodigy from Bihar’s Samastipur would also need to be disciplined and focussed to achieve greater success. “He’s very talented. But talent alone doesn’t guarantee success. He needs to be focused, disciplined, and keep working hard. If his process is right, I believe he can achieve amazing heights,” Lal told ‘PTI Videos’.
Suryavanshi set the IPL ablaze with a record-breaking 35-ball century against table-toppers Gujarat Titans and praise has poured in from all corners for the young swashbuckler.
“I’ve never seen a kid like this. When I was captain of the Delhi team, Sachin (Tendulkar) played against us at a very young age and scored around 80 runs in the Ranji Trophy semifinal.
“Then came Virat Kohli, who is still playing. And now, everyone is talking about Suryavanshi. He has all the makings of a superstar,” he said.
Lal described Suryavanshi’s hitting abilities as a “God-given talent.” “…but it’s up to you how you work on it. Your sincerity, discipline, upbringing — these matter a lot. Family support is important too. When your parents are disciplined and supportive, that gives you added motivation,” he explained.
Lal felt Suryavanshi should play as much domestic cricket as possible going forward.
“Playing in different conditions against various opponents helps you grow,” he reasoned.
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