"Should Not Shower Vaibhav Suryavanshi With...": Rahul Dravid's Blunt Take On IPL's 14-Year-Old Sensation

Rahul Dravid doesn't want microscopic attention on 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi following his path-breaking hundred in the IPL but having said that, the Rajasthan Royals head coach knows it is something that he can't control. Having received a barrage of questions on Suryavanshi in the Star Sports Press Room on Wednesday, Dravid realised that the cricketing world will not be leaving the talented teenager alone from now onwards. The Bihar teen will have to find a way to handle this overnight stardom, he said.

In the interaction, the former India head coach also touched upon Suryavanshi's special skills that make him a formidable T20 batter at such a young age before adding that he remains very much a work in progress.

"I think it won't be possible to completely sort of avoid him from the experience that is around him. I can't control what people are talking about him. I have come to this interaction and all I have heard is questions about Vaibhav," said Dravid when asked about protecting the youngster from the hysteria around him.

"It is going to be challenging for him but it is exciting at the same time. I would love to say that we should not shower him with that much attention. Maybe I am being naive as that it is not going to happen.

"Recognising that it happens and putting a certain level of support around that and navigate that attention and allow him space to be a youngster. It is part of being a cricketer in this country, it is impossible to distance yourself from and (you tend to get) sucked into it." 

Amazed by his quick judgement of length and fearlessness

As the India U-19 coach, Dravid nurtured the likes of Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw, Yashasvi Jaiswal and many more exciting talents. Asked