When Rajasthan Royals signed teenager Vaibhav Suryavanshi for a fee of Rs 1.10 crore, not everyone was on board with the franchise’s strategy to sign a 13-year-old. At the age of 14, Vaibhav made his Indian Premier League debut, and one game later, he smashed his first-ever hundred in the T20 league. In doing so, the young batting sensation broke several records, while also silencing those questioning his credentials for a league of the stature of the IPL. While fans only saw what Vaibhav is capable of in the match against Gujarat, Rajasthan’s scouts had already assessed his capabilities and hence decided to splash cash on the youngster in the mega auction last year.
After the game against the Titans, Royals coach Vikram Rathour explained the technical aspects of Vaibhav’s game, which make him a ‘really, really special talent’.
“It was really, really special. We’ve been watching him in the nets for the last few months. We knew what he was capable of and the kind of shots he could play. But to do it in front of such a big crowd, in a high-pressure situation, against a strong bowling attack – that was truly special. A lot of credit to him,” said Rathour.
“He’s a special, special talent. Technically, he has a great downswing, which helps him generate that kind of power. Today, he showed everyone exactly how good he is. Honestly, you could keep talking about that knock endlessly,” he further explained.
Vaibhav hit a whopping 7 fours and 11 sixes during his stay in the middle that lasted for 38 balls. Rathour was truly stunned to see a 14-year-old hitting the ball the way Vaibhav did.
“For a 14-year-old kid to play like that – that itself is special. We first saw him around four months ago during the trials, and from that moment, we knew we had found something extraordinary. It was up to us to nurture him and bring him to this level. Credit to him – he kept his nerves, showed great temperament, and played an extraordinary innings today,” said Rathour.
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