Rajasthan Royals (RR) head coach Rahul Dravid has announced the signing of 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi for INR 1.10 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction. This marks the latest step in the franchise's long-standing commitment to nurturing young talent, a tradition that has produced players like Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel.
Suryavanshi, a rising star from Samastipur, Bihar, impressed the Royals' management with his exceptional skills during a trial session. Dravid, who has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of Indian cricket, expressed excitement about the teenager's potential.
“We thought it might be a good environment for him to grow in,” Dravid said. “Vaibhav came to our trials, and we were really happy with what we saw. He has some really good skills.”
Suryavanshi made headlines with a brilliant century against Australia Under-19 in a Youth Test match in Chennai, scoring 104 off 62 balls. His debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Bihar further showcased his promise, as he struck 13 runs off just six balls in a T20 match.
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Already making his Ranji Trophy debut at the age of 12 years and 284 days, Suryavanshi is widely regarded as one of India's most exciting young prospects.
Alongside the signing of Suryavanshi, Rajasthan Royals strengthened their bowling attack with the inclusion of pacers Akash Madhwal, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ashok Sharma, and Kwena Maphaka. In the spin department, they acquired Kumar Kartikeya Singh and Maheesh Theekshana, with Wanindu Hasaranga and Yudhvir Charak joining as all-rounders.
Dravid spoke about the team's strategy heading into the auction. "We came into this auction having retained a lot of our core Indian batsmen. A big target for us was bowlers, and we did a really strong job in that area,” he said. “We got some really good bowlers, including a couple of excellent spinners. Having someone like Jofra Archer, with his unique skills, and adding a couple of left-handers like Farooqi and Maphaka, really gives us a lot of variety in our attack."
Rajasthan Royals' emphasis on bolstering their bowling strength and nurturing young talent has set the stage for an exciting IPL 2025 campaign.
