E2bet: Greg Chappell: Former India coach Greg Chappell has called for time and patience if the world wishes to see the best of Rajasthan Royals (RR) opening batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He believes the 14-year-old batter has all the potential to succeed, but requires the right guidance to nurture his talent to greater heights.
Greg Chappell: Chappell cited the example of Sachin Tendulkar, who he felt converted his prodigious talent to consistent success due to the support system around him.
“Vaibhav Suryavanshi has the tools. He has the temperament. But most importantly, he needs time. Let us celebrate him, yes, but also protect him. Let us not confuse early genius with invincibility. The boy has already played like a man. Now it is time for the men around him to ensure the boy within remains whole,” Chappell wrote in his column for ESPN Cricinfo.
“Sachin Tendulkar succeeded as a teenager not simply due to talent but because of a solid support system – a stoic temperament, a wise coach, a family that protected him from the circus. On the other hand, Vinod Kambli, equally talented and perhaps more flamboyant, struggled to balance fame and discipline,” he added.
Greg Chappell: Chappell also gave the example of former Australian paceman Bob Massie, who began his career with a 16-wicket haul on Test debut at Lord’s in 1972. However, he could not sustain that early success and ended up playing only five more Tests for Australia.
“To be young and gifted is a rare blessing. But to remain grounded when you have that gift is a greater achievement. For every Tendulkar who rises, there are many like Bob Massie who fade, not because they were any less worthy, but because the structures around them weren’t strong enough to hold them when their world shifted,” Chappell wrote.
Greg Chappell: Vaibhav Suryavanshi experiences both extremes of life in one week
A few days later, on Thursday, May 1, Suryavanshi fell for a second-ball duck to Mumbai Indians pacer Deepak Chahar. He witnessed both extremes of life in a single week.
RR next take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, May 4.
