Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – sporting history is filled with only a handful of genuine prodigies

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PC: IPL/ BCCI)

By Zubin Bharucha

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has graduated to the Indian team by dint of his talent and his performances in the IPL. It’s a different level and, obviously, there is a huge off-field aspect that will need addressing. But he is more than up to the task. He is incredibly sharp and intelligent. I have no doubt he will manage just fine with a little bit of guidance here and there.

Moving on to the question of whether parents now want their children to play for India by the age of 15 because of the success of someone like Vaibhav, then my view is quite simple.

Wanting your child to have a career in professional sport is a positive thing. However, I would always encourage parents to ensure their children play as many different sports as possible while growing up, alongside learning cricket. No child should carry the weight of expectations placed upon them by others. Their journey should be driven by their own love of the game, their curiosity to learn, and their desire to improve.

Nobody can predict the future, and progression through the levels of cricket will take its own course. Sporting history is filled with only a handful of genuine prodigies, so the chances of any child being one of those rare talents are naturally very slim. That said, if a child is exceptionally talented, that talent should be nurtured, encouraged, and given every opportunity to develop.

Above all, the role of parents is to instil values that drive good behaviour, resilience, respect, and integrity. Teaching children the difference between right and wrong is far more important than whether they ultimately play professional sport. Those values will serve them well in cricket, in other sports, and in life.

(As told to Shamik Chakrabarty)

(Zubin Bharucha is a renowned coach who has mentored a number of Indian and international cricketers.)

The post Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – sporting history is filled with only a handful of genuine prodigies appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.



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