Thirteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi etched his name in history as the youngest cricketer to sign with an IPL franchise. Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured his services for INR 1.10 crore during the second day of the IPL mega auction held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 25. Among 182 players sold for a collective INR 639.15 crore, Suryavanshi’s signing became the talk of the town.
The Royals outbid Delhi Capitals in an intense bidding war to acquire the talented left-handed batter. Speaking after the auction, RR head coach Rahul Dravid expressed confidence in the young prodigy’s potential and highlighted the franchise’s commitment to nurturing his growth.
“I think he’s got some really impressive skills, and we believe this environment will be ideal for his development. Vaibhav attended our trials, and we were thoroughly impressed with what we saw,” Rahul Dravid stated in an IPL video.
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Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s meteoric rise has been nothing short of spectacular. Recently, he became the youngest batter to score an international century, smashing a 62-ball 104 in a Youth Test against Australia U-19 at Chepauk. Adding to his accolades, he debuted in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 13 off six balls for Bihar, and made his Ranji Trophy debut at just 12 years and 284 days old.
While Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s signing marks a bold step for RR, the franchise also focused heavily on rebuilding their bowling arsenal after releasing stalwarts like Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Dravid expressed satisfaction with their auction picks, which included marquee players such as Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Tushar Deshpande.
“A major focus for us this auction was to bolster our bowling attack. We retained a strong core of Indian batsmen and wanted a versatile, world-class bowling lineup. With players like Jofra bringing unique skills and left-arm options like Fazalhaq Farooqi and Maphaka, we’ve achieved the balance we were seeking,” Rahul Dravid explained.
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He also acknowledged the complexities of navigating the auction dynamics. “The other teams are well-prepared, so you need to have plans A, B, C, and D ready. It’s challenging but highly rewarding to put together a squad that fits your vision,” the former India head coach concluded.
With Suryavanshi’s addition and a revamped bowling lineup, Rajasthan Royals appear ready to make a statement in IPL 2025.
