Greg Chappell cautions BCCI about the hype surrounding 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, drawing parallels to the careers of Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, and Prithvi Shaw. He emphasized the need for young talent to protect from fame.

Former India head coach and Australia batting legend Greg Chappell had sent a strong ‘protection’ warning to BCCI amid the early rise of Rajasthan Royals young batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi grabbed the attention of cricket fraternity with his sensational record-breaking performance against Gujarat Titans, scoring a brilliant 101 off 38 balls. He shattered the Indian record for the fastest century in IPL as well as record for the young centurion in the history of T20 cricket. The hype around the 14-year-old seemed to have fizzled as he was dismissed for a two-ball duck by Deepak Chahar in the clash against Mumbai Indians.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been the centre of media attention ever since his record-breaking knock, prompting concerns from Greg Chappel, who witnessed the rise of Sachin Tendulkar, while also witnessing the likes of Vinod Kambli and Prithvi Shaw, who failed to fulfill their true potential.

Writing in his column for ESPN Cricinfo, Greg Chappel drew comparisons between Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli’s career, highlighting how the former had the solid support system for his career growth, while the latter struggled to balance fame and career. He also mentioned Prithvi Shaw’s early downfall after quick rise.

“Sachin Tendulkar succeeded as a teenager not simply due to talent but because of a solid support system - a stoic temperament, a wise coach, a family that protected him from the circus.” Ex-India coach wrote.

“On the other hand, Vinod Kambli, equally talented and perhaps more flamboyant, struggled to balance fame and discipline. His fall was as dramatic as his rise.

“Prithvi Shaw is another wunderkind who has fallen but may yet find a way back to the pinnacle,” he added.

Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli started off their cricketing journey together, playing for Sardarshan High School, Mumbai, and Team India. However, their professional directions diverged sharply, with Tendulkar going on to become one of the legends of the game. The batting legend holds the world record of 34,357 runs and 100 centuries in international cricket.

Kambli, on the other hand, had a great start to his career, scoring two consecutive double centuries against England and Zimbabwe and amassed 793 runs at an average of 113.28 in seven Tests in 1993. Thereafter, the former left-handed batter struggled to maintain his consistency and eventually cut short his promising career. His off-field distraction, alcohol addiction, and short-pitched delivery woes ultimately derailed his international journey, Vinod Kambli’s Test career came to an end at the age of 23 and ODI career was effectively over by 28.

Prithvi Shaw was touted as the next Sachin Tendulkar of cricket, given his prodigious and record-breaking performance in the junior level cricket. He also led India to U-19 World Cup triumph in 2018. Shaw made his Test debut against West Indies and announced his arrival with a maiden century in his international career. However, things did not go in his way due to injuries, fitness concerns, disciplinary issues and inconsistent performances. His biggest career setback came when he went unsold even for a base of INR 75 lakh at the IPL 2025 Auction.

Shaw played seven seasons for Delhi Capitals and aggregated 1892 runs, including 14 fifties, at an average of 23.95 in 79 matches. His contemporaries, including Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have surged ahead in their international careers, leaving him to reflect on missed opportunities.

Further writing in his column for CricInfo, Greg Chappel urged the BCCI and Rajasthan Royals to take the responsibility to protect Vaibhav Suryavanshi from marketing exploitation amid his early rise in his career.

“It is incumbent on the cricketing ecosystem - the BCCI, the franchises, mentors, and the media - to protect him. Talent can't be bubble-wrapped, but it can be provided a buffer. It must be guided, not glorified; nurtured, not just marketed,” Chappel wrote