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The 14-year-old batting prodigy from Bihar Vaibhav Suryavanshi is on a roll as he yet again turned heads with a record-breaking ton to help India U-19 thrash England U-19 in the fourth Youth ODI on July 5. Suryavanshi has been unstoppable since his historic century in IPL 2025 which made him the youngest-ever batter to crack a ton in the T20I history.
Shikhar Dhawan warns Vaibhav Suryavanshi of challenging season in IPL 2026
But former India's star batter Shikhar Dhawan has an advice for the nation's newest cricket sensation, Suryavanshi. At the tender age of 13, Suryavanshi had already made headlines when he was acquired by the Rajasthan Royals (RR) for INR 1.10 crore during the IPL 2025 mega auction, making him the youngest player ever to be signed by a team in the prestigious league. He celebrated his 14th birthday during the tournament and subsequently became an overnight star with a breathtaking 35-ball century against the Gujarat Titans.
Dhawan lauded Suryavanshi for his exceptional talent, particularly praising his confidence and skill in dominating some of the most respected bowlers in international cricket. Beyond his praise for the young player, Dhawan also credited the Indian Premier League itself, emphasizing its crucial role in providing a prominent stage for the country's youth to demonstrate their abilities to a worldwide audience.
"How old is he, 13-14? (To play IPL) at the age of 14, is a very big thing. The way he was hitting the bowlers and standing in front of the big boys of world cricket at such a young age is remarkable. When I look at his confidence while hitting the big shots... it's amazing. Thanks to IPL, our kids can now dream of getting into a big team from the age of 5. Vaibhav manifested that dream. He is there. A big congratulations to him and his family. A very proud moment for all of us in cricket. A 14-year-old kid playing a big league like that and dominating is unthinkable," Dhawan told Hindustan Times.
According to Dhawan, a significant challenge for Suryavanshi will be navigating the fame, attention, and financial success that come with professional cricket. The former cricketer, however, pointed out a strong support system in place for the young talent. He highlighted that Suryavanshi is fortunate to be part of the Royals, where he will benefit from the guidance of Rahul Dravid, who serves as the head coach. Additionally, Dhawan noted that Vikram Rathour, the batting coach, will play a crucial role in nurturing Suryavanshi's batting skills and development.
"For him, the challenge is going to be how he is gonna handle the fame, the attention, and the money as well. A blessing that happened to him is that he was in great hands... Rahul Bhai, Vikram Paji (coaches of Rajasthan Royals). They are very, very good cricketers. They don't just believe in making good cricketers but good human beings as well. It's very important to be a good human being," he added.
The 39-year-old cautioned Suryavanshi for the next IPL season and said that bowlers will come up with their plans knowing the young batter's strength. Dhawan wants the 14-year-old batting prodigy to take care of his mental health which will be very important going forward because expectations will rise.
"I feel that the second year is gonna be a bit tough for him. Bowlers will know what his strength is. They are gonna plan better against him. He has to face those challenges and grow. How he takes care of his mental health will be very important going forward because expectations will rise. The self-expectation will rise as well. How he is gonna handle all that stuff is what I am looking forward to seeing," Dhawan concluded.
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