'Yeh dil maange more': 13-yr-old’s IPL deal sets off new trend

NT Bengaluru

The selection of 13-year-old cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi by Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) for ?1.10 crore at Monday’s Mega Auction has become the talk of the town among cricket enthusiasts. Parents with children in cricket academies and coaches across the city, are now exerting increased pressure on coaches to help their young wards break into the professional scene.

Suryavanshi, who will train under former India coach Rahul Dravid, is expected to hone his skills further, following his impressive century in a Test match against the Australia U-19 team in Chennai earlier this year. Irfan Sait, head coach at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket (KIOC), says this development has opened a flurry of requests. “Parents are now demanding that their children play at the highest level. For kids, there has been a paradigm shift over the past decade, driven by the growth of the IPL,” he said.

While Sait, who has groomed the likes of Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey by introducing them to the higher levels at a younger age, is ready to replicate this success, he feels the rules set by the BCCI needs to be relooked at. " The rules should be followed across states. Why are they different in Bihar where Vaibhav comes from?," he questioned.

When asked about the impact on young players, Sait added, “Kids now prefer hitting big shots than stay at the crease. While this could have been an opportunity to groom players for all formats, the commercialisation of the T20 format has shifted mindsets. This could also lead to teenagers questioning their abilities, with some even quitting cricket, thinking someone younger has already reached the big stage.” Kartik Jeshwant, a former Karnataka player and coach at SIX Cricket Academy, feels coaches need to create an environment that encourages balance between red-ball and white-ball cricket. “The biggest challenge for today’s youngsters is adapting to constant changes. Coaches must intervene and ensure players work on their skills across all three formats of the game,” he explained.

Pramod U Balakrishna Rao, head of the David Johnson Cricket Academy and father of a U-16 Karnataka player, believes the culture of coaching, which once emphasized on patience, is shifting due to the IPL's meteoric rise. “Parents must understand that cricketers are not made in one or two years it’s a long process. With my son, we’ve had discussions, and he understands that his skill set needs improvement. He aspires to excel in all three formats,” he said.