Kapil Dev gives his honest take on the delay in Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s international debut

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The cricketing world is buzzing with anticipation as the Indian team prepares to face England in the crucial second T20I of their five-match series. The 15-year-old batting prodigy has been the talk of the cricketing fraternity ever since his historic inclusion in India’s squad for the preceding series against Ireland. While he unfortunately warmed the bench throughout that tour, eager fans are desperately hoping the team management hands the youngster his maiden cap against England.

Adding serious weight to the conversation is India’s legendary 1983 World Cup-winning captain, Kapil Dev. The iconic all-rounder has weighed in on the prodigy’s rapid rise, offering a deeply insightful perspective that balances immense praise with a much-needed reality check for Indian cricket fans.

While the public clamor for Suryavanshi’s debut intensifies, Kapil has urged the cricketing ecosystem to exercise restraint. The legendary captain warned against crushing the teenager under the immense weight of media hype, pointing out that at just 15 years old, the youngster needs time to mature both as a cricketer and an individual.

“I haven’t seen him play much. He is a huge talent, without any doubt. But I think we are talking too big about him. At the moment, give him some time. Don’t hype him so much,” Kapil Dev stated in a candid interview with Sports Tak. He emphasized that the young prodigy is still at an age where the intense scrutiny of international pressure can be overwhelming.

However, Kapil did not hold back when analyzing the raw ability Suryavanshi possesses. In a glowing testament to the teenager’s skill set, he drew direct comparisons to two of the greatest icons in cricket history. “If you talk about talent, yes, he is as good as Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. This much talent is visible in him,” he added.

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Despite the lofty comparisons, Kapil introduced a crucial caveat regarding Suryavanshi’s long-term career trajectory. He pointed out that the youngster’s jaw-dropping impact has primarily been witnessed in the shortest format of the game. To achieve true greatness, Kapil believes the prodigy must diversify his skillset across all versions of international cricket.

“This much talent is visible in him, but only in T20 cricket. In the rest of the formats, he will have to prove himself,” Kapil noted, challenging the young batter to replicate his explosive domestic form in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Test matches.

Addressing the tactical delay in giving Suryavanshi his debut, Kapil reflected on historical precedents, drawing a parallel to when a teenage Sachin Tendulkar was fast-tracked into the national side. He argued that if a player is genuinely ready, age should merely be a number.

“We can talk about Sachin because he too was very young when we played him. We kept thinking if it was too early, but if you look at history, you fear you might be too late. If he is ready, don’t count his age, count his ability,” he concluded.

With the first T20I in Chester-le-Street completely washed out by rain, all eyes now turn to Saturday’s second clash, where management might finally unleash India’s newest generational talent.

Also READ: Parthiv Patel explains why Vaibhav Suryavanshi is yet to make his India debut