VAIBHAV SURYAWANSHI, SUMMER CAMP & U-14 EXPOSURE TROPHY

India is a powerhouse of cricket with greatest depth of range of talent across its vast geography! While on one hand are the traditional cricketing centres like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru among others with illustrious legacy; the emerging hubs of cricket like Jharkhand, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kerala and now Bihar - courtesy of the arrival of the prodigious Vaibhav Suryawanshi, are doing a great service to Indian cricket. Goa has been left far behind especially judging by the pace at which former South zone punching bag - Kerala has developed and raced into being one of the top two teams in Indian First Class cricketing ranks. 

Where the 14-year-old Vaibhav is hammering the daylights out of international stars, also becoming the world’s youngest T20 centurion and second-fastest in IPL behind Chris Gayle; most of the children of the age of 14 or lesser in Goa, get their first basic lesson at a summer camp or if they are already taking regular coaching classes, these kids play practice matches. A few clubs organise Exposure tournaments in Goa, inviting Cricket academies/schools to field their teams in such tourneys. 

Goa needs many more of such Exposure Trophy tournaments and children aged between 10 to 14 years are required to be provided with competitive feel of cricket. Otherwise, how are we going to groom the talents as there is no substitute to match practice. 

While a Vaibhav Suryawanshi is once in a lifetime or a generational genius and cannot be replicated by following a blueprint, what Goa needs to do here is to put together a network of clubs or academies, who can stitch a schedule of a decent number of invitational tournaments with visiting teams in the mix as well. 

Our young talents need to understand the significance of playing with and against youngsters from different parts of the state as well as zonal visitors, in order to develop a sound young head on their shoulders! This way, not just the cricketing talent will be sharpened but the boys and girls will be able to inculcate right temperament, which often spells the difference between having successful career and being an ordinary person in life!