Matthew Hayden's Reality Check For Youngsters Wanting To Follow Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Footsteps
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 'devil-may-care' approach to batting looks magical, but other teenagers trying to ape the boy wonder should ponder whether that template is sustainable, Australian legend Matthew Hayden cautioned
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 'devil-may-care' approach to batting looks magical, but other teenagers trying to ape the boy wonder should ponder whether that template is sustainable, Australian legend Matthew Hayden cautioned. The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, whose much-awaited international debut has become a national talking point, has galloped into the collective consciousness of the cricketing universe with his attack-at-all-costs style, which has already created a new order in T20 cricket.
When Hayden, who recently saw Sooryavanshi perform in the IPL while sitting in the Gujarat Titans dugout, was asked whether Shubman Gill's classical batsmanship and the Bihar lad's pyrotechnics could co-exist in T20s, he offered an interesting take.
"We are talking about two very unique personalities. Can both (Gill's and Sooryavanshi's) styles exist? Absolutely. They already do. The challenge for any youngster watching someone like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is whether that style can be sustained over a long period," Hayden, owner of 15,000-plus international runs and 40 centuries, told PTI in an exclusive interaction.
For Hayden, Gill has already shown that his style of batting certainly has the recipe for success at the international level.
"Shubman Gill has already shown that it can be done with consistency at the international level, and for me, international cricket remains the premium standard.
"Just as we see footballers like Lionel Messi represent both club and country successfully, there is room for different approaches in cricket," Hayden explained.
Hayden, who has been a coach and a respected cricket commentator, said that each and every player should search within to find a way to go about their job in their own individual style.
"I strongly believe in helping players find their own inner warrior. Sooryavanshi and Shubman Gill are completely different personalities with different backgrounds and different journeys.
"That's the beauty of cricket. It's a skill-based game, and every player arrives with unique technical strengths and experiences," Hayden summed up succinctly.
Hayden then cited an example from his playing days. As a southpaw, he admired his contemporary Brian Lara but knew that there was no point in trying to copy the Trinidadian's style.
"I grew up admiring Brian Lara, but I wasn't Brian Lara. I wasn't West Indian either. I grew up in regional Queensland, where sport was central to everyday life.
"I developed my own game based on my instincts, and that eventually allowed me to become one of the best players in the world."
For Hayden, it is important for every player to find his own identity, which makes them unique.
"Sport is full of unique personalities. There will never be another Jonah Lomu (the rugby great), another Lionel Messi or another Kelly Slater (surfer).
"As coaches, our job is to discover those players, nurture their individuality and make sure their development is sustainable," Hayden put it aptly
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