Former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri recalled how Matthew Hayden was shocked to learn that Vaibhav Suryavanshi was only 14 years old. This occurrence occurred during the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025), where Suryavanshi amassed 252 runs at a scorching 206.55 strike rate over seven games.
Hayden questioned the young left-handed batter’s age after seeing two spectacular maximums from Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma, Ravi Shastri recalled.
The Rajasthan Royals defeated the Gujarat Titans by eight wickets and twenty-five balls remaining, thanks to a century and eight runs from Suryavanshi.
“Being on air during that Jaipur game astounded me. At that point, we were short one commentator, so I went on air in the fourth over and did two consecutive stints. By the ninth and tenth over, he had reached his hundred and hit it. Ten rows back, he was smashing Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma over midwicket and extra cover. “There was Haydos (Matthew Hayden), and he said, ‘Oh, he can’t be 14’. I told him to calm down,” Ravi Shastri recalled during her appearance on the LiSTNR podcast’s Willow Talk.
Speaking about Suryavanshi’s talent, Ravi Shastri said that the next few years will be very important for him.
He felt that Suryavanshi needed a great mentor to help him and prepare him for the challenges the game would present.
“This is the most difficult time for him. Because, similar to Sachin [Tendulkar], he has had such an impact at such a young age. He now needs someone to mentor him over the next two to three years since it’s easy to lose your way. Your expectations are high, and you might not be able to handle them. This is the point at which someone must inform him that failure is inevitable. It’s a leveller game. Stay calm. It is a natural part of life, but if you continue with your current course of action, you will succeed once you begin to accept and accept failure. “This is a crucial time for him,” he continued.
Suryavanshi is joining the U19 team after two very successful tours of Australia and England. His appointment as the Bihar state team’s vice-captain for the 2025–2026 Ranji Trophy was made recently.
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