Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: 'Study for Exams, Play Gully Cricket,' Says Ex-Star to Teen Sensation

Former South African cricketer Daryll Cullinan has a piece of advice for 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: don't be in a hurry to play for India. Cullinan feels Vaibhav should enjoy his childhood, focus on his exams, and not be rushed into the high-pressure world of international cricket.

Bengaluru: India's talented young batter, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, has been making all the right noises with his amazing performances. But now, former South African cricketer Daryll Cullinan has made a surprising statement, telling the 15-year-old not to rush his international debut.

Cullinan, who played 70 Tests and 138 ODIs for South Africa, believes Vaibhav should just enjoy the simple joys of being a kid. In a column for Cricinfo, he wrote that today's youngsters face a lot of pressure and are always lost in the world of social media. He had some solid advice for Vaibhav.

'What we are seeing in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is an amazing talent, playing well beyond his years. It's rare for such players to come into the limelight,' Cullinan said. He noted that Vaibhav is now a globally recognised young talent, thanks to Indian cricket and the IPL.

'Cricket has seen extraordinary talents. We've also seen young players getting labels they never asked for at a very young age. Vaibhav is only 15. He is living a life that's very different from a normal teenager's. We need to think about this seriously before it's too late,' Cullinan warned.

'Study for Exams and Play Gully Cricket'

“If you ask me, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should be at home, preparing for his exams. He should be playing gully cricket with boys his age. He's still very young, so there's plenty of time for him to grow. This doesn't mean we should ignore his talent, but we must allow him to develop completely. He shouldn't be rushed onto the international stage,” the former South African batter said.

When Sachin Tendulkar made his debut for Team India at 16, he had responsible people guiding him in his early days. But today's young players have to face criticism on social media, which needs careful planning.

No Spot for Vaibhav in First T20 Against England Either

Even though Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been selected for the Indian team, he is yet to get a game. The Bihar-born player was on the bench for the first two matches against Ireland. In those T20s, India's top-order batters Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan both failed to score.

So, many expected Vaibhav might get a chance in the first T20 against England. But that didn't happen. In the first match against England, Sanju Samson scored just 1 run and Ishan Kishan was out for a duck. Now, everyone is waiting to see if Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will finally get a spot in the playing XI for the second T20.