13-year-old batting prodigy from Bihar Vaibhav Suryavanshi became an overnight sensation after being bought by the Rajasthan Royals (RR) for a staggering INR 1.1 crore during the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This record-breaking deal made him the youngest player ever to be signed at an IPL auction.
The young sensation's inclusion in the IPL has sparked widespread excitement and curiosity. Despite the immense media attention and the pressure of his newfound fame, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has remained remarkably grounded. Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the youngest IPL millionaire, has shown remarkable maturity in handling his newfound fame. His first goal is to lead India to victory in the Under-19 Asia Cup 2024.
“I'm currently focused on my game. I’m not paying much attention to social media. I'm not bothered by what's happening around me. My current focus is on the Asia Cup and how we can win the trophy and then take it game by game. That's my focus right now,” Suryavanshi was quoted as saying by Sony Sports Network ahead of India's clash against Pakistan in the U-19 Asia Cup 2024.
“It was a good feeling to score a 100 on debut. It was a good experience for me to play red ball, and now I’m excited to have a knock in the white ball as well,” he added.
He recently became the youngest cricketer to score a century at the Under-19 level in red-ball cricket. Now, he sets his sights on another milestone: scoring a century in white-ball cricket.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi reveals his cricket idol
Suryavanshi also went on to reveal his admiration for West Indies legend Brian Lara. Despite the presence of Indian cricketing icons like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, Lara remains Suryavanshi's idol. He draws inspiration from Lara's flamboyant batting style, but is committed to developing his own unique approach. Suryavanshi is determined to refine his skills and establish his own identity in the world of cricket.
“Brian Lara is my idol. I try to play like him; the rest I try to keep natural with whatever skills I have, and I want to work on that,” he concluded.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi crashes in U-19 Asia Cup 2024 clash against Pakistan
Talking about Suryavanshi's performance in the high-octane Under-19 Asia Cup 2024's match against arch-rivals Pakistan, he fell for just 1 run in India's losing cause.
India's Under-19 team suffered a disappointing 43-run defeat against Pakistan in their campaign opener. Pakistan, batting first, posted a formidable total of 281/7 in 50 overs. A century stand between Usman Khan and Shahzaib Khan laid the foundation for the innings, with Shahzaib's blistering 159 off 147 balls being the highlight. In response, India's batting faltered, and they were all out for 238 runs in 48 overs. Nikhil Kumar top-scored for India with a knock of 67 runs.