Mumbai: The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the dream destination of every youngster playing cricket in India these days.
Even a 13-year-old has a chance of breaking into the world’s top T20 league if he has oodles of talent. Like Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
The Bihar boy, who was born on March 27, 2011, has made the cut for the mega player auction to be held in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah on November 24 and 25.
Of the 1,574 players who had registered for the auction, the BCCI trimmed it down to 574, comprising of 366 Indians and 208 overseas cricketers.
The biggest buzz is over player No. 491, which happens to be Suryavanshi.
A left-handed batsman has been listed in the 68th set under ‘uncapped batter’ category.
Suryavanshi first made headlines when he made his debut in the Ranji Trophy for Bihar at the tender age of 12 years and 284 days, thus becoming the eighth-youngest player in the world to play first-class cricket.
He had a rough start at the senior level, managing scores of 19, 12, 0, and 0 in his first two games. However, the selectors saw his potential and picked him in the India U-19 squad for a series against Australian colts in September-October.
Suryavanshi repaid the selectors’ faith by smashing the fastest hundred by an Indian in Under-19 ‘Tests’. Opening the batting, he raced to 100 off just 58 balls against Australia U-19 at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. He was run out for 104 which came off 62 balls, and included 14 boundaries and 4 sixes. His knock helped India win the ‘Test’.
In five first-class matches so far, Suryavanshi has so far aggregated 100, with a highest score of 41.
It’s early days for the young teen. But the boy from Bihar’s Tajpur village looks to be a super special talent who needs to be nurtured.
It will be no surprise if Suryavanshi bags an IPL contract with a team looking to catch them young.