Vaibhav Suryavanshi, a 14-year-old cricketer from Maharashtra, has created a stir! He was the youngest player ever signed at an Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. The Rajasthan Royals secured Suryavanshi’s services for £103,789, which is approximately 1.1 crore rupees, during last year’s auction. His extraordinary talent came to the fore when he made his debut against the Lucknow Super Giants earlier this month. This moment was a big break into the spotlight for his developing career.
Suryavanshi’s debut was not without excitement. He quickly established himself as a player to watch, scoring a stunning century in just 35 balls against the Gujarat Titans in his third match. He had an explosive performance that night, finishing with the incredible figure of 101 runs off only 38 balls. It was an extraordinary accomplishment, as he became the youngest player to register a century in men’s T20 cricket — 7 fours and 11 sixes.
Before breaking into the IPL, Suryavanshi showed his capabilities by netting a marvellous century for the India Under-19s. He did so while playing against Australia Under-19s in Chennai, scoring his century in 58 balls. His composure and capacity for excellence under pressure has elicited acclaim from the greatest in the sport, including Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh.
Rahul Dravid, Suryavanshi’s coach and former Indian captain, expressed confidence in the young player’s future. Singh wanted to showcase Suryavanshi’s astounding technical prowess. He said, “He’s got a really good hand, a great bat speed, an indubitably high backlift. Alongside the media blitz, Dravid stressed the need for attention to be balanced with personal space for the young athlete.
“Putting a certain level of support to navigate all of this attention and still allowing him that space to be a youngster is going to be important,” – Rahul Dravid.
Dravid acknowledged the challenges faced by young cricketers in India, stating, “That’s part of being a cricketer in this country – how to handle this.” He stressed the need for Suryavanshi to perform a media balancing act. In parallel, he needs to start working on building some of those skills, though.
“It’s impossible to distance yourself 100% but neither do you want to get sucked into it completely as well,” – Rahul Dravid.
Suryavanshi’s impressive debut outings have made him a talent to watch as cricket enters a new generation. After an outstanding rookie season, including demonstrating a knack for clutch performances, the future looks bright.
“He’s only going to develop and he’s only going to get better,” – Rahul Dravid.
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