Rajasthan Royals (RR) head coach Kumar Sangakkara gives advice to 15-year-old batsman Vaibhav Suryavanshi Before the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The former Sri Lankan cricketer said that young players should be allowed to experience failure without any unnecessary external pressure.
Sangakkara’s comments came after Suryavanshi’s golden duck against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2026. The opening batsman has scored 200 runs in five matches at an average of 40.00 and a strike rate of 263.15. He will be next seen in action Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Sunday, April 19.
You are allowed to fail – Kumar Sangakkara shares message to Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Vaibhav Suryavanshi has caught the attention of the entire nation with his fearless attitude against top fast bowlers. Despite his recent golden duck against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kumar Sangakkara said that Suryavanshi has the ability to understand match situations very well.
Sangakkara said, “My message to Vaibhav is simple: enjoy everything. Be it 100 runs off 35 balls, 50 runs off 15 balls, or zero on the first ball – you are allowed to score runs, and you are allowed to fail. It is an integral part of cricket.”
He said, “Vaibhav is an exciting young player. People talk about talent, but they should also understand how much work he puts in in the nets. He reads the game very well, anticipates situations and plans effectively against the bowlers.”
He will figure things out as he progresses – Kumar Sangakkara But Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Kumar Sangakkara defended the failure, saying that low scores are a natural part of T20 cricket, especially for aggressive opening batsmen. He backed Vaibhav Suryavanshi to move forward through the experience, saying that such setbacks are to be expected in a high-risk format and should not be overanalyzed.
“The nature of opening in T20 cricket today is all-out attack. He will figure things out as he progresses. For a player like this, sometimes the less said, the better,” Sangakkara said.
He concluded, “I just want him to remain the 15-year-old kid who goes out and bats with a sense of wonder. That’s how he’ll really progress. Low scores will be his and everyone else’s, but I’m very happy to have Vaibhav with us.”
Vaibhav Suryavanshi impressed early but faced the reality of aggressive approach
Vaibhav Suryavanshi entered the tournament after a stellar performance in the Under-19 World Cup, where he won the Player of the Tournament award. Kishore scored 52 runs in 17 balls against Chennai Super Kings. He also hit a six off Jasprit Bumrah on his very first ball against Mumbai Indians.
Suryavanshi hit three fours and a six on Josh Hazlewood of Royal Challengers Bangalore. However, his attacking style also comes with risks, as Prafulla Hinz dismissed him for a golden duck against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers Prafulla Hinge and Saqib Hussain restricted Rajasthan Royals to 9/5 in three overs while defending 217 runs. Rajasthan Royals were out for 159 runs in 19 overs. After their first defeat in five matches, they will face Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday.
Also read: “I don’t deserve a place in Pakistan team”, admits Mohammad Rizwan amid poor form in PSL 2026
