'Don't become Prithvi Shaw': Vaibhav Suryavanshi bombarded with photo requests, but growing popularity concerns fans
Vaibhav Suryavanshi is quickly becoming a fan favourite in England too, but fans are worried that his growing popularity could send him down a wrong path.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi can't catch a break. The 14-year-old sensation has emerged as the toast of the nation, not just in India but also in England, where, as part of the Under-19 squad, Suryavanshi is continuing to send ripples with his string of performances. After setting the Youth ODI series on fire, with scores of 48, 45, 86, 143 and 33, Suryavanshi is now on course to do the same in the Youth Tests. Suryavanshi may have missed out on getting a big score under his belt in Beckenham, but he surely is firing it all on cylinders as far as his popularity goes. Suryavanshi is quickly becoming a fan favourite in the UK, with young fans craving his attention.
Last week, when two female fans drove six hours to catch a glimpse of Suryavanshi and get pictures clicked with him, the teenager was now surrounded by a bunch of young fans, with selfie and autograph requests. After the first of the two Youth Tests ended in a draw at the Kent County Cricket Ground, Suryavanshi was seen entertaining young fans' requests for pictures and autographs. While it certainly was a sight to behold, realising the crowd-puller that Suryavanshi is becoming, at the same time, the reaction of some of the fans suggests otherwise. Some are concerned that this growing popularity could turn out to be a curse for Suryavanshi. At just 14, he has his entire career ahead of him, and fans are worried whether this fame will impact his game, like it did with Prithvi Shaw.
Shaw, one of the most promising cricket talents in the country until a few years ago, fell off the radar and how. After smashing a century on debut for India, Shaw fell off a cliff, drastically falling behind in the pecking order, to the extent that, due to discipline issues, he was also dropped from the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team. Fans want Suryavanshi to become the best and most refined version of his current self, and wish he handles his rise with maturity and diligence.
{{/usCountry}}Shaw, one of the most promising cricket talents in the country until a few years ago, fell off the radar and how. After smashing a century on debut for India, Shaw fell off a cliff, drastically falling behind in the pecking order, to the extent that, due to discipline issues, he was also dropped from the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team. Fans want Suryavanshi to become the best and most refined version of his current self, and wish he handles his rise with maturity and diligence.
{{/usCountry}}Below are some posts from fans:
Recently, former India head coach Ravi Shastri informed that the great Rahul Dravid has taken a keen interest in Suryavanshi and is ensuring the youngster stays grounded. At just 14, Suryavanshi is believed to be flooded with endorsement offers, a rewarding gesture for the incredible things he is capable of doing with a bat in hand on the cricket field. In the IPL, Suryavanshi blasted his maiden century, becoming the youngest-ever to score a hundred in the Indian Premier League. In the process, he held the record for the second-fastest century in IPL history – off 35 balls – when, playing for the Rajasthan Royals, he tore the Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans’ bowling attack to shreds.
Suryavanshi continues to topple records
And if that wasn’t impressive enough, just a couple of weeks ago, Suryavanshi grabbed another record, becoming the second fastest Under-19 player to smash a century, behind Rishabh Pant. Even with the ball, Suryavanshi dismissed a couple of England U19 batters, becoming the youngest player ever to pick up a wicket in Youth Tests.
