New Delhi, July 4: When a 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar entered the Indian dressing room ahead of his debut tour of Pakistan in 1989, one of the first senior
cricketers to take him under his wing was Kapil Dev. The World Cup-winning legend ensured the teenager felt comfortable among India's established stars, helping ease him into international cricket.
Kapil's belief in Tendulkar extended beyond the dressing room. Convinced that Indian cricket had found a once-in-a-generation talent, he is also credited with recommending that MRF sponsor Sachin's bat - a partnership that would go on to become one of the most iconic associations in the sport.
Nearly four decades later, Kapil sees another teenage prodigy knocking on India's door. Speaking about 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the former India captain said the youngster possesses the kind of rare talent seen in players like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, while stressing that his selection should be based on ability rather than age.
While insisting comparisons should be made carefully, the former India captain believes Sooryavanshi possesses the kind of rare talent that reminds him of players such as Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. More importantly, Kapil feels the youngster should be judged on his ability rather than the number beside his name.
Speaking on the Vikrant Podcast, Kapil backed the Bihar batter, who is currently part of India's T20I squads for the tours of Ireland and England but is yet to make his international debut.
"If you are talking about the talent, yes he is as good as Sachin or Virat Kohli and the talent can be seen in him for T20. For the rest (of the formats), he will have to prove himself. "
Kapil said Sooryavanshi has already shown qualities that are exceptionally rare for someone of his age. "He is fabulous in T20s. To make such an impact at such a young age, you will not find even one per cent of such people in the world. "
Don't Rush the Hype
Even while praising the teenager, Kapil cautioned against putting unnecessary pressure on someone who is only beginning his professional journey.
"I have not seen a lot of him, have only seen a little bit. He has huge talent, without any doubt," Kapil said. "But I think we are talking too big about him at the moment. He needs to be given some time. Do not create so much hype around him. "
The former India skipper said youngsters often need space to grow before being burdened with expectations.
Should India Hand Him a Debut?
With Sooryavanshi travelling with the Indian squad but yet to make his debut, the debate around his selection has only intensified.
Kapil believes the answer is straightforward. "There are a couple of things - and we can mention Sachin because he was of the same age when he played. We used to wonder whether we were playing him too early," he recalled.
"But if you look at history, sometimes you realise, 'kabhi kabhi late na ho jaye'. " "I feel that if he is ready, his age should not be counted. His ability should be. If you feel he can play on his ability, he should be played. "
Every Great Player Faces Difficult Times
Kapil also reminded fans that even the greatest cricketers have endured lean phases, and Sooryavanshi's real test will come when those moments arrive.
"It is not that his bad patch won't come. Difficult times will come. How would he come out of it?"
"There are only a few cricketers who never had a bad patch, be it Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar or Vivian Richards. All players have gone through rough times. "
For now, Kapil believes Indian cricket has another extraordinary young talent on its hands - but one that should be allowed to develop naturally instead of carrying the weight of impossible expectations.
