Indian cricket’s newest teenage batting phenomenon, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, has candidly opened up about the initial heartbreak and self-doubt he experienced during his first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.
The child prodigy, who recently received his maiden national call-up to the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, confessed that he felt heavily disheartened when only two franchises showed interest in securing his services during the IPL 2025 mega auction, back when he was a mere 13-year-old child asset.
During the historical auction event, Delhi Capitals (DC) initiated the opening bid at a base price of ₹30 lakh. A brief bidding war ensued, but DC backed out once the valuation crossed the ₹1 crore threshold. Rajasthan Royals (RR) swooped in with a final bid of ₹1.10 crore to seal the teenager’s signature. While the Royals’ management later revealed they were completely prepared to go much higher, the young batsman was left questioning his own talent when the other eight teams remained silent.
The Raw Innocence of a 13-Year-Old
Speaking in an emotional YouTube interaction with Rajasthan Royals team manager Romi Bhinder, the young prodigy recalled his exact mindset on that life-changing afternoon:
“I’ll tell you honestly. When I was picked, I was thinking, ‘Yaar, mere peeche do hi teams ne bid kiya, aisa kyu? Mai to accha khelta hoon, accha kiya tha trials mein, baaki teams ko bhi jaana chahiye tha’ (Man, only two teams bid for me. Why? I play well, I did well in the trials; the other teams should have come forward too).”
However, a year and a half inside the celebrated pink dressing room completely transformed his perspective. “But now that I’ve been with this team for a year and a half, I’m telling you honestly, I’ve said thank you to God at least a thousand times. ‘Thank you, God, for bringing me into a team like Rajasthan Royals,'” Sooryavanshi added.
From ₹1.10 Crore Bargain to IPL Legend
The other franchises are undoubtedly kicking themselves now. In the recently wrapped up IPL 2026 season, a 15-year-old Sooryavanshi pulled off the single greatest individual campaign by an uncapped Indian player in history. He didn’t just meet expectations—he completely revolutionized opening partnerships in the powerplay.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: IPL 2026 Record Book
| Metric | Accomplishment | Historical Significance |
| Runs Scored | 776 Runs | Highest by a teenager in a single season |
| Primary Award | Orange Cap Winner | Youngest recipient in tournament history |
| Marquee Honor | Most Valuable Player (MVP) | First 15-year-old to secure the elite award |
| Market Value | Estimated 20x Growth | Projected top retention pick for future cycles |
Mentorship and Global Brand Rush
The teenager’s historic run has triggered an unprecedented corporate frenzy, with major global brands queuing up to secure his commercial endorsement rights. His rapid ascent was also aided by stellar veteran guidance. A recent viral video showcased Indian icon Virat Kohli offering profound, grounding advice to the youngster (“Yaha se upar jaana hai, jo hua vo…”), urging him to keep his head down and look toward long-term red-ball excellence.
Now, as he swaps the Rajasthan Royals pink for the legendary Indian blue under skipper Shreyas Iyer, the entire cricketing world will be watching to see if this fearless young opener can replicate his domestic destruction on international soil against world-class bowling attacks.