Rajasthan Royals’ 14-year-old batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi became an overnight sensation after his brilliant batting performance during the IPL 2025 encounter against Lucknow Super Giants. Suryavanshi, who was bought for Rs 1.1 crore in the mega auction, became the youngest player ever to play in the IPL. The left-handed batter looked in tremendous form as he slammed 34 runs off 20 deliveries to provide the perfect start to his team. Suryavanshi looked comfortable against the opposition bowlers and his performance earned him praise from both fans as well as experts. During an interview with OneIndia Hindi, Suryavanshi’s childhood coach Brajesh Jha revealed the challenges that the youngster faced.
“This child has faced challenges since childhood. Reaching this point took great effort. It’s heartening to see him perform well in his debut match, and we are hopeful for an even brighter future,” he said.
He further revealed how the youngster’s academic performances also took a hit.
“Yes, his academic performance did dip slightly once he got serious about cricket, but he will catch up on that too. He’s equally committed to both,” he said.
Earlier, reflecting on the young batter’s explosive start, Jha said, “It was very nice to see his batting, and from the very first ball, he was batting so well. It was unfortunate that he got out, but whatever was missing in this game will be corrected. I am sure he will do even better in the next match. We hope he scores well as soon as possible and brightens his name.”
Asked about expectations for Suryavanshi’s next outing, the coach exuded confidence, “Not only the next game, but he will score good runs throughout the tournament. The mistakes he made, he will learn from them and come back strongly — 100% in the next match. He will perform even better than what he did today, I’m sure.”
With the whole country watching a potential future star bloom, the ultimate dream remains clear for the coach.
“He has to play for the country. I have a dream that he should represent India. For me, the IPL or Under-19 is not bigger than the nation. The first dream of all children who play cricket should be to play for India. That feeling — to play for the country — would bring the greatest joy to Samastipur,” he said.
(With ANI inputs)
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