'RR Might Be A Good Environment': Dravid Offers Insights On Signing 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi

The Rajasthan Royals made history after bringing in the youngest player in the auction. The management, which also featured head coach Rahul Dravid, secured 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi for INR 1.10 Crore. At 13 years and 288 days, he is the youngest ever to be registering for an IPL auction and also being secured by a franchise. The head coach looks to have some plans for the young cricket phenom as Rahul Dravid offered his say on signing the Bihar batter and making him a part of the Royals franchise.

Rahul Dravid Explains the Decision to Sign Talented 13-Year-Old Vaibhav Suryavanshi To Rajasthan Royals

In a video shared by the Indian Premier League on 'X' [formerly known as Twitter], Rajasthan Royals' head coach Rahul Dravid thinks the team can provide 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi with the best setting possible to hone his skills during his imminent IPL career. Dravid added that the Samastipur-based batter has some quality expertise, and the Royals could help foster and help him grow in the game of cricket.

"Vaibhav (Suryavanshi) just came to our trials and we were really happy with what he saw. I think he's got some really good skills, so we thought it might be a good environment for him to grow in," Rajasthan Royals' head coach Rahul Dravid said.

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After achieving the fastest century by an Indian cricketer in U19 Test matches, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has become a hot commodity on the domestic scene. He made his first appearance for India in red-ball cricket at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, smashing a century off 58 balls. The veteran all-rounder Moeen Ali of England, who amassed a century off of 56 balls for the England U19 in 2005, is right behind Suryavanshi. During one of the matches against Jharkhand in the 2023 Cooch Behar Trophy, Suryavanshi stood out with a score of 151 off 128 balls. Then, in the second innings of the same game, he scored 76. The 13-year-old became the fourth-youngest Indian to debut in a recorded FC match when he won the Ranji Trophy in January 2024. 

The 13-year-old Bihar batter will now embark on a new journey with the Rajasthan Royals, where he will be coached by Rahul Dravid, beginning with the IPL 2025 season.

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