Steve Waugh has made it clear that not everyone who shines young is the next Sachin Tendulkar. After watching 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi stun IPL fans with a blazing hundred, many began drawing parallels with the Indian legend.
But the former Australian captain isn’t buying into the hype. He reminded everyone about Tendulkar’s remarkable century in Perth decades ago, calling it a one-of-a-kind moment that cannot be matched.
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What did Steve Waugh say about Suryavanshi’s IPL century?
Vaibhav Suryavanshi created history this IPL season when he smashed 101 off just 38 balls for the Rajasthan Royals. At just 14 years old, he became the youngest player ever to score a T20 century.
Waugh admitted he was amazed watching the 14-year-old boy score that century. He couldn’t believe how well the boy was hitting the ball, how easily he was smashing sixes and how calm and relaxed he looked while doing it.
“I watched that century and I just couldn’t believe how well he struck the ball and how easy he was hitting the sixes and how relaxed he was. As a 14-year-old, he had no concept of pressure…just play with complete freedom, so that was great to watch,” Waugh said at an event in Mumbai.
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The World Cup-winning Australian captain then said the real challenge for the boy will be whether he can keep playing like that as he grows older. He believes the boy is very talented, mentally strong and has a powerful life story, which makes people want to see him do well.
“Can he play the same way with the same enthusiasm, the same freedom as he has done this year? That’ll be his challenge," said the Aussie.
"He’s got a lot of skill, he’s mentally tough and he’s got a great backstory, so you want to see someone like that be successful. It’s a great story for cricket and for me watching from a long way away,” he added.
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What did Steve Waugh say about Vaibhav Suryavanshi compared to Sachin Tendulkar?
Waugh said that no one can really be compared to Sachin Tendulkar. He talked about how amazing it was when Sachin, as just an 18-year-old, came to Australia and scored a century in Perth, which is known for being one of the toughest pitches in the world.
Waugh called it a freakish performance and said that players like Tendulkar don’t come around often. Then he added that he never imagined a 14-year-old would score a century in the IPL.
“I don’t think you can compare anyone to Sachin Tendulkar. I mean, a 16-year-old coming out to Australia and scoring a century in Perth on the hardest, most unique pitch in world cricket where most players really struggle to play on a pitch,” Waugh said.
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“…for him to score a century as a teenager in Perth was a freakish performance. It’s very rare you get a Sachin Tendulkar come along. But I would never have expected a 14-year-old to score a 100 in the IPL, that was unthinkable,” he added.