‘Father left work, Mother slept for 3 hours’: Vaibhav Suryavanshi on parents’ support in his cricket journey
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the teen cricket sensation, shares his gratitude towards his parents, who made immense sacrifices to support his dream
Rajasthan Royals’ young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi has rewritten the records in the Indian Premier League. At just 14 years old, he smashed a century off 35 deliveries, becoming the youngest player to achieve this feat in T20 cricket and breaking the record for the quickest IPL century by an Indian.
Vaibhav’s success story is a mirror of the strength of his parents’ support. His mother, Aarti, gets up at 2 am to cook for him, and his father, Sanjeev, has given up his job to pursue Vaibhav’s cricketing aspirations. “I am what I am because of my parents,” Vaibhav remarked, thanking them. “God makes sure that the hard work doesn’t fail the person, and the success I’m gaining now is all due to my parents.”
When Vaibhav stepped out to bat on his IPL debut, he created history by becoming the youngest player in the history of the tournament. He surprised all by hitting a six off the very first delivery he received, bowled by Shardul Thakur. Vaibhav’s composed nature and natural ability were in full evidence as he scored 34 off 20 deliveries in his first innings.
Vaibhav’s Under-19 India experience and experience at the domestic level has equipped him with confidence to attack the league’s top bowlers. “It was a normal thing for me to hit a six off the first ball,” he explained. “I was not under pressure to see the first 10 balls. I had it very clear in my mind that if the ball falls into my radar, I will hit it.”
The teen is adamant on staying focused on his cricketing aspirations in the face of the limelight. “I want to contribute for India, and I have to work hard for that,” he said. Vaibhav is also thankful to the Rajasthan Royals team management for having faith in him and giving him the tools he needs to be successful. “I had been training for this for so long, and I’m glad it paid off the way I wanted it to,” he added, crediting coaches Rahul Dravid, Vikram Rathour, and Romi Bhinder for the inputs.
