3 min learnUp to date: Could 15, 2026 01:13 PM IST
Former India head coach Rahul Dravid heaped reward on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rising stature as a top-tier skilled, conserving even worldwide bowlers on their toes in simply his second IPL season. Dravid was the pinnacle coach on the Rajasthan Royals once they scooped up a 13-year-old Sooryavanshi for Rs 1.10 crore in November 2024 forward of the IPL 2025 season.
The youngest-ever participant to characteristic within the league, Sooryavanshi plundered an international-quality Gujarat Titans bowling assault in his maiden season, smashing a 35-ball century that’s now the fastest-ever by an Indian. This season, the Bihar prodigy has constructed on these exploits and emerged as probably the most devastating opening batter, smashing over 400 runs and 40 sixes in solely 12 outings. Sooryavanshi has expanded his repertoire of photographs whereas additionally taking down the most effective within the enterprise, with Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and others bearing the brunt of his blade.
Whereas Dravid has moved on from the Royals franchise, the previous India skipper shared his elation in witnessing Sooryavanshi’s fast strides.
“I imply he’s a really, very particular expertise. There’s little doubt about it. I believe we are able to go on and on. I believe everybody’s already stated something that must be stated about Vaibhav. It’s unbelievable to have the ability to watch a younger boy in a position to tackle a few of the finest gamers on the earth and do it so efficiently,” stated Dravid on The Wisden’s Scoop podcast.
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Dravid chuckled on the destiny of international-level pacers, sharing an uncommon predicament of getting ready for a 15-year-old boy forward of match days.
“In reality, in some methods, I’m positive loads of these extra skilled world-class bowlers should be going to their staff conferences and pondering, ‘my god we’re having to consider a 15 12 months outdated child. I can think about a few of the ideas which might be occurring (laughs).
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“I’m positive they by no means thought of this a 12 months and a half in the past, that we must be spending loads of time in your staff assembly discussing a 15 year-old. A few of them would have laughed at you. That’s in in a way unbelievable, what he’s been in a position to do. I believe it’s nice to see a expertise like that. I hope he’s in a position to actually go on and fulfill the apparent expertise that he has and he’s already bringing loads of pleasure to so many individuals and hope he can proceed to do this,” remarked Dravid.
Sooryavanshi, who has been busy breaking data this IPL season, will quickly don the India A colors subsequent month throughout a tri-series tour to Sri Lanka. As beforehand reported by The Indian Categorical, the selectors are eager on fast-tracking the younger batting sensation within the white-ball staff with the upcoming T20 sequence within the UK towards Eire and England or the sequence in Zimbabwe in July being a particular risk.