Rajasthan Royals sign 'youngest player ever’
Remember the name Vaibhav Suryavanshi, he is set to do some big things in the world of cricket.
The 13-year-old on Monday became the youngest player ever to earn a contract in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Left-handed batsman Suryavanshi, who recently klapped the fastest 100 by an India U19 player when he did so off 58 balls against Australia, was bought by coach Rahul Dravid’s Rajasthan Royals for R2.4m after a bidding war.
But now mense are saying the youngster is not really 13 years old and is in fact 15. According to the online skinner, he said in an interview last year that he would turn 14 on September 27, 2023.
His father, who had to sell farm land to fund his child’s cricketing dream, however, tells Press Trust of India (PTI): “When he was 8 and half years old he first appeared for a BCCI [India cricket board] bone test.
“He has already played India U19. We don’t fear anyone. He can again undergo age test.”
Dravid says of the youngster: “I think he’s [Suryavanshi] got some really good skills, so we thought it might be a good environment for him to grow in. Vaibhav just came to our trials and we were really happy with what he saw.”
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Kagiso Rabada was the most expensive South African picked up in the bid when Gujurat Titans picked him up for just under R22 million.
The Lucknow Super Giants snapped up David Miller for R16 million and Aiden Markram R4 million, while big-hitting wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock was bought for R7.7 million by the Kolkata Knight Riders.