13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, on Monday, became the youngest player to land an IPL gig as the Rajasthan Royals won a fairly intense bidding war in the auction held at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The teenage prodigy will have the privilege of working with former Team India great and head coach Rahul Dravid, who replaced Kumar Sangakkara at the helm in the Royals. It was his father Sanjeev, who noticed his love for the sport and decided to construct a playing area in their home's backyard.

Speaking to The Times of India during an interview, Vaibhav had massively credited his coach Manish Ojha, the ex-Ranji player for his development as a player.

"After practising for two-and-a-half years there, I gave Under-16 trials for the Vijay Merchant Trophy. I was on standby due to my age. By God's grace, I started coaching under Manish Ojha sir, a former Ranji player. He has taught me a lot and whatever I am today, it is because of him

Vaibhav Suryavanshi's journey:

Vaibhav’s cricketing journey began at an impressively young age, debuting in the prestigious Ranji Trophy at just 12 years old, where he represented Bihar in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy for Bihar, scoring around 400 runs in just five matches. He made his first-class debut at same age as well.

At 12 years and 284 days, he became the youngest Indian to make a first-class debut since 1986 and the second-youngest to ever feature in a Ranji Trophy game for Bihar.

This remarkable start allowed him to break records previously held by Indian legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh, making him one of the youngest players in the history of India’s first-class domestic competition.

In September this year, Vaibhav played for India U-19 debut in a youth Test match against Australia in Chennai. He hit an impressive  58-ball 104 before getting run out. It was the fastest-ever hundred recorded by an Indian in U-19 Test cricket and the second-fastest overall, after England’s Moeen Ali, who had scored a 56-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2005.

During the 2024 season, Vaibhav played two first-class matches for Bihar against formidable opponents, Mumbai and Chhattisgarh. Although he managed to score only 31 runs, his early debut showcases his immense talent and potential for growth in the sport.

Prior to his Ranji Trophy debut, Vaibhav had already established himself in age-group cricket. He shone in the Quadrangular Under-19 series for India B, where he amassed 177 runs in six innings, including two half-centuries. His ability to perform under pressure made him one of the standout players of the tournament.

Another significant achievement came during the Vinod Mankad Trophy, where he scored 393 runs in five matches, averaging an impressive 78.60. This performance placed him among the top run-scorers in the tournament and further reinforced his reputation as a prodigious talent in Indian cricket.