- April 29, 2025
Now and then, cricket throws up a story so crazy, it’s like a scene out of a film. A 14-year-old kid, Suryavanshi, has just entered the IPL and lit it up like it’s Diwali night? Come on, you can’t make this stuff up! While the world is rightly losing it over his prodigious talent, the bigger question now is: how do we manage a once-in-a-lifetime talent without the hype swallowing him whole? Because talent is only half the story–managing fame at 14 might be the real challenge.
Protect Suryavanshi From the Madness
First and foremost, shielding the kid from the noise. Right now, Suryavanshi’s Instagram is on fire, the agencies are lining up with endorsements, and there are media requests from everywhere, pouring in like a Mumbai monsoon. But what does he need? A good, solid protective wall between himself and external pressure. Like an expert buffer – the likes of Rahul Dravid – has seen it all.
Dravid’s philosophy, “stay grounded, head down, work hard,” needs to be etched into Suryavanshi’s psyche. Because while wanting to bask in the stardom is easy, the real battle is internal – fighting distractions, keeping one’s ego in check, and remembering that Instagram followers don’t win matches. Right now, a strong and tight-knit inner circle that ignores the distractions is non-negotiable.
Teach Him That Failure is Not a Four-Letter Word
Of course, the kids had a good head start. But it won’t be great scores that will define him, but how he weathered the lean periods (that are part and parcel of basically despairing phases, and let’s be honest here, Cricket can be brutal). At the blink of an eye, fans can be cold. A single bad knock, and before you know it, you are hyped, instead of being heralded as a “future legend.”
This is where emotional resilience will truly be his superpower. Brian Lara, whom Suryavanshi idolises, was one of the very best at letting failure wash off him like water off a duck’s back. Suryavanshi must learn early that one bad game does not make him a bad player. This type of mental conditioning is something that needs to happen as often as he goes to the net. Whether it is using sports psychologists, mentors, or just plain honest conversations with family, for me, the most valuable lesson to impart is to normalise failure, and that could be the biggest gift for his long journey as a player.
Let Him Fall in Love with the Game Again and Again
Do you remember why Suryavanshi came to play here in the first place? He likes to play cricket. Not for the money.
There are so many well-documented stories of prodigies who lost that very enjoyment after their early success, once the sport became their job, a burden, and a pressure. Andre Agassi is one of them, and he said in his autobiography, there were times when he hated tennis. We cannot allow Suryavanshi to start feeling that way. Fun is never worth sacrificing for professionalism. Let him have days off, let him spend time with his friends, and let him lose a couple of games without the media going crazy.
Suryavanshi’s story is already a fairy tale – although the real journey is just starting. Protect him from the hype, let him experience failure, and most importantly, ensure that he continues to enjoy cricket like that 14-year-old, starry-eyed boy who wanted to hit sixes for fun.
Cricket fans – fast forward five years: are we celebrating another great superstar of the game, or are we thinking about what-could-have-been? However, the answer depends on how we develop this young star today.
Would you be beholden to Suryavanshi’s future? What would you do? Let’s discuss in the comments!
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