Sport

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has revealed the reasoning behind the franchise’s decision to purchase 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi during the IPL 2025 auction.

New Delhi: One of the most memorable moments of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction was the fierce bidding for 13-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi. In a historic move, Suryavanshi became the youngest player ever to be bought in an IPL auction, with Rajasthan Royals (RR) securing him for Rs 1.1 crore. Now, RR captain Sanju Samson has shed light on the reasoning behind the franchise’s decision to bid for the young talent, emphasizing that his acquisition aligns perfectly with the core values and philosophy at Rajasthan Royals.

“I’ve watched his highlights, and everyone in the Rajasthan decision-making group saw him bat during the U19 Test match against Australia in Chennai, where he scored a hundred off just 60-70 balls. The shots he played there were extraordinary, and it was clear that there was something special about him,” Samson shared during an interview with South African cricket legend AB de Villiers on the latter’s YouTube channel.

“We felt that we needed to have those kinds of individuals in the team and see where they can go,” Samson added.

Suryavanshi has shattered records ever since making his debut in 2024. After the IPL 2025 auction, he impressed at the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2024, finishing with an average of 44 and a strike rate of 145. He also became the youngest player ever to feature in both the Ranji Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. If he plays in the 2025 IPL season, he will set the record as the youngest-ever player in the league.

Samson elaborated on Rajasthan Royals’ rationale behind acquiring Suryavanshi

“Rajasthan Royals has a history of identifying talent and nurturing them into champions. Look at Yashasvi Jaiswal, who joined us as a youngster and is now a star in the Indian team. Similarly, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel—these players all follow the same path. RR thrives on this philosophy; yes, we want to win the IPL, but we also want to ensure we’re contributing champions to Indian cricket,” Samson explained.

The one-time IPL champions will be guided by India legend Rahul Dravid in the IPL 2025 season.