Sunil Gavaskar issues warning for 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi amid rising fame

Sunil Gavaskar warns Vaibhav Suryavanshi [Source: AFP]

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has come forward with a clear and serious warning for young cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi. While everyone is praising the 14-year-old for his explosive performances, Gavaskar believes it is important to stay grounded and not get carried away too soon. 

Notably, Gavaskar's message is not meant to discourage the youngster, but rather to protect him from unrealistic expectations and early pressure.

Sunil Gavaskar sounds alarm over early praise for Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Ever since Vaibhav Suryavanshi featured for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 season, he has become a household name. 

At just 14 years of age, the left-handed batter stunned the world with his fearless approach. His 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans, where he confidently took on top bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma, Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan, brought him instant fame. Since then, his performances have kept fans and experts talking nonstop.

However, Sunil Gavaskar feels that this growing hype needs to be handled carefully. According to him, there is a big difference between Under-19 cricket, domestic first-class cricket and international cricket.

“It is too early to call anybody a sensation, as time and again it has been seen that there is a huge gap between Under-19 cricket and first-class cricket, not to speak of international cricket. Some of the batters playing IPL and those picked for this season’s IPL batted as if the opposition attack was nothing and tried to hit straightaway and lost their wickets,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.

“Yes, it’s a young group, inexperienced too and that’s why it’s important for a senior player and mentor to tell them that however ordinary the attack, one mistake can mean you are back in the dugout. Let’s hope that they forget thoughts of IPL and focus on the job at hand, and that is to win the Trophy once again. Go for it, youngsters,” he added.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi enjoying his best time

Despite the warning, Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable. Picked at just 13 years old during the IPL mega auction and making his debut at 14, he ended his first IPL season with 252 runs from seven matches at a strike rate above 200. 

It is important to note that the strong performances in the IPL and Youth ODIs earned him an India A call-up for the Rising Stars Asia Cup. 

Vaibhav’s dominance continued in the Under-19 Asia Cup, where he scored 171 against UAE and a century against South Africa Under-19. Notably, Suryavanshi also made headlines in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Bihar, where he smashed a breathtaking 190 off just 84 balls, including a century in only 36 balls.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi's current form in Under 19 World Cup

Currently, Suryavanshi is representing India in the Under-19 World Cup, where he has scored 74 runs in two innings so far. He will next be seen in action against New Zealand Under-19 on January 24.

While the talent is unquestionable, Gavaskar’s advice serves as a timely reminder that patience, discipline and focus are just as important as big shots and records.