"Something Special": Sanju Samson Reacts to RR Signing 13-Year-Old Sensation

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson apprеciated 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi while discussing on AB de Villiers' YouTube channel ahead of IPL 2025. According to him, the team management has closely followed his performance during the U19 Test match against Australia and feels that he will be a great addition to the squad.

Vaibhav made news way back in early October when he hit the quickest century by an Indian in U19 Test cricket. Playing at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, he reached his hundred in just 58 balls during his debut red-ball match for the India Under-19 team.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored a blistering 58-ball century, which only came second to former England all-rounder Moeen Ali, who scored a 56-ball hundred for England Under-19 back in 2005. During his fireworks, Vaibhav hit 14 boundaries and 4 sixes before getting run out on 104 off just 62 balls. After his eye-catching show, Rajasthan Royals bagged him for Rs 1.10 crore in the 2025 mega-auction.

"I have seen his highlights. All of the people in the Rajasthan decision-making group saw him bat at the U19 Test match vs Australia in Chennai, where he scored a hundred of 60-70 balls. The shots that he played there, it felt like, that's something special and we felt like we have to have those kind of individuals in the side and see where they go," Sanju Samson shared with AB de Villiers in an interview.
Sanju Samson has appreciated Vaibhav Suryavanshi and underlined the Rajasthan Royals' excellent track record in terms of finding and grooming youngsters. He gave examples like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel in support of his argument of how the team had successfully nurtured emerging talent with a great culture in the side.

Rajasthan Royals and Their Passion for Developing Talent

"But Rajasthan Royals have a history of doing this. They find out talents and make them champions. For example, there is a Yashasvi Jaiswal who came to RR as a youngster and now is a rockstar of the Indian team. There is Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel - they all fall under that line. I think RR loves that kind of thing - yes, we want to win the IPL, but we also want to make sure that we are giving enough champions to Indian cricket. It will be exciting to meet him," Samson added.

The 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi is making wavеs in domestic cricket. After making his Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar last season, he recently etched his name in the history books as the youngest Indian to play List-A cricket. He did this at the tender age of 13 years and 269 days, going past Ali Akbar, who had debuted at 14 years and 51 days for Vidarbha in the 1999/2000 season. He already is the youngеst Indian to play in the Ranji Trophy and at the Under-19 level, cementing his place as one of the brightest young talents in Indian cricket.