'Tougher days will come': Ex-India cricketer's reality check for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has lavished praise on teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling him a rare talent capable of rewriting T20 records, while also urging the youngster to stay grounded amid the growing spotlight.The 15-year-old batting prodigy has emerged as one of India's brightest prospects after his remarkable rise in domestic and IPL. He is likely to make his senior India debut during the ongoing T20I series against England, expectations around Sooryavanshi continue to soar.Speaking about the youngster's potential in Sky Sports, Karthik highlighted Sooryavanshi's fearless mindset and ability to score freely against any opposition."I think it's just his ability to score all around the ground and the tempo at which he bats. The fact that he doesn't get fazed by whoever his opponent is stands out. That fearlessness is a special quality," Karthik said.While acknowledging the teenager's immense talent, Karthik reminded everyone that every young cricketer goes through challenging phases, both on and off the field."Like everybody in life, I'm sure he will face challenges with his batting and things that happen away from cricket. He needs to learn how to deal with those situations. Right now, everything looks rosy, but tougher days will come," he added.Asked how far Sooryavanshi could go in the game, Karthik left little room for doubt."The sky is the limit. I genuinely feel he can become an extraordinary T20 batter, and I don't see why he can't break many records in the format," he said."My one piece of advice would be to learn to deal with the noise off the field in a healthy manner because that's going to be his biggest challenge in today's world," Karthik concluded.India face England in ManchesterIndia and England will look to break the deadlock when they meet in the second T20I at Old Trafford, Manchester, after the series opener in Durham was washed out by rain. Despite the no result, India would have taken confidence from posting a competitive 189/7, powered by half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and captain Shreyas Iyer. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.