Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag suggested 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who made history as the IPL’s youngest player. Vaibhav made his Rajasthan Royals (RR) debut against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), scoring 34 runs with the help of two fours and three sixes.
Suryavanshi couldn’t go big in his second match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), scoring 16 runs off 12 deliveries.
Despite the immense spotlight, Sehwag encouraged the young cricketer to remain humble and focused. He said he has witnessed a lot of athletes getting off to a good start before faltering because they wanted to become famous.
“If you approach the game knowing that you’ll be praised for performing well and criticised for not performing, it will help you stay grounded,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
“I’ve seen many players who got famous after a few matches, but then they fade away because they start thinking they’ve already become a star,” Sehwag added
“Suryavanshi should aim for a 20-year career in the IPL,” Sehwag continued.
“Look at Virat Kohli. He started at the age of 19 and has played all 18 seasons. That’s the kind of longevity he should be aspiring for. However, if he gets happy with this IPL, thinking he’s now a crorepati and had a fantastic debut, hitting a six on his first ball, then we might not see him next year.”
Sehwag advised Suryavanshi to look forward to Virat Kohli as a role model, with the goal of achieving a long and successful IPL career of at least 20 years. He warned Suryavanshi that if he became happy with his early success and assumed he had made it, he might miss out on future seasons.
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