NEW DELHI: Former India batter Manoj Tiwary believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi needs to learn how to handle provocation on the field after his recent altercation with Sri Lanka A players during the ongoing tri-series in Dambulla.The incident took place after India A lost a Super Over thriller to Sri Lanka A on Monday. Television footage showed the 15-year-old pushing Sri Lankan spinner Vishen Halambage before senior player Niroshan Dickwella intervened. Reports suggested Halambage had been sledging Sooryavanshi throughout the series. While the Sri Lankan player was sanctioned, the Indian youngster escaped punishment.Tiwary said the attention surrounding Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise means rival teams will try to unsettle him.“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has to understand a little. There will always be verbal battles against us on the pitch, because there are many countries that are jealous of us. So, they will provoke you. The way Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s IPL campaign went, and the way he is moving forward and getting everything, so they will poke him more. The way a 15-year-old is progressing, they are jealous of it. So, we have to prepare him for it,” the former batter said on Cricbuzz.
Different paths to success
Tiwary said Sooryavanshi now faces an important decision regarding the image he wants to create in world cricket.“It is upto him what kind of image he wants to create in the cricketing world. One path is like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, who are generally calm people, they answer through performances. The other route is like Virat Kohli, people who are aggressive. Now he needs to decide how people want to perceive him. Anger is important, but it is important to point it in the right direction,” he continued.Tiwary also felt the controversy may have affected the youngster’s batting after he managed only 38 runs against Afghanistan A.“No one will take action against him for this, but he must realise what he has done. No one wants to see an emerging player be involved in pushing and shoving. The more he plays, the more he will understand about the conduct in the field. But under any circumstances, he should not go outside the laws of the game. People are watching him, and his behaviour will be noted. He scored only 30-40 runs today, so it is affecting him, as he did not score as much he should have,” Tiwary concluded.
Bahutule backs youngster to learn
India spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule, who has worked closely with Sooryavanshi at age-group level and with Rajasthan Royals, described the incident as unfortunate and backed the youngster to move on from it.“It was an unfortunate incident, but we don’t know how he was provoked because I know him, and Vaibhav is a very composed kid, but I’m sure there are experienced coaches there who will guide him,” Bahutule said in the press conference ahead of the second ODI between India and Afghanistan.“Sri Lankan players should also be educated on how to behave,” Bahutule added.The former Mumbai skipper expressed confidence that the teenager would mature with experience.“He will learn, he is a young kid with a lot of responsibility of representing India. I’m sure he will not repeat it and such incidents can be avoided,” Bahutule said.
