Mullanpur, May 29: Fifteen-year-old cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a rising star from Samastipur, Bihar, has revealed that he finds life’s pace slows down considerably without daily practice. The young prodigy, who has impressed with his work ethic and performance in recent tournaments, including the IPL, views even a single day off from training as a significant break.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Sooryavanshi’s dedication is significantly influenced by his father, Sanjiv, who consistently drove him from Samastipur to Patna for training sessions five days a week. This rigorous routine has instilled in the teenager a deep-seated aversion to extended breaks from the sport.
“All this is because of my father. Since childhood, he has made me practise so much that if I do not practise even for a day, it feels like my life has slowed down a bit. So, I do not need to take a very long break; one day is enough,” Sooryavanshi stated in an interview.
His commitment to structured practice was evident when he opted to skip his 10th standard board examinations to focus on his game ahead of the IPL. He explained his decision by stating, “I felt I should practise because the IPL was approaching and I was also coming back after playing one-day cricket (U-19 World Cup). There was a change in format too, so I needed to work on certain aspects of my game.”
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has noted Sooryavanshi’s “childlike innocence” and expressed a wish for it to remain a constant in his career. Off the field, Sooryavanshi finds relaxation in watching cartoons, a habit he has maintained since his younger days.
“When I used to stay at home two or three years ago and played matches or practised there, whenever I had free time at home, I used to watch cartoons, and I really enjoyed it,” he recalled. “Even now, whenever I feel like I need some relaxation or peace, I watch cartoons. I sit comfortably in my room and watch whichever cartoons I like. It feels really nice and reminds me a lot of home.”
Sooryavanshi has garnered significant attention this IPL season, accumulating 680 runs and setting a record with 65 sixes. His performance has drawn comparisons to the early career impact of Sachin Tendulkar, who debuted in Tests in 1989. While their batting styles may differ, Sooryavanshi exhibits a maturity that belies his age, a trait often associated with Tendulkar.
His father, Sanjiv, has been instrumental in fostering a strong sense of team spirit in Vaibhav. The young cricketer emphasizes the importance of team success over personal milestones, adhering to his father’s teachings. “Since childhood, my father has always told me that if you score a hundred, a double hundred, or even a triple hundred, but the team does not win because of it, then those runs hold no value. They may only be for your personal record, but they do not benefit the team,” Sooryavanshi said.
He further elaborated on his team-first philosophy: “So, if I score 80 instead of a hundred and my team wins, and if we still do not win despite me scoring a century, then that 80 means more to me than the hundred. The longer my team stays in the tournament and the deeper we go into the playoffs and finals, the more chances I will get to score hundreds and achieve whatever records I want to break. So, it benefits both me personally and the team as well.”
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The Chenab Times News Desk
