Opportunities abound in the Indian Premier League. You’ve heard tales of how players like Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and Yashasvi Jaiswal rose through the ranks and became well-known throughout the competition. The youthful Priyansh Arya recently gained popularity due to his talents.
Similar to the players listed above, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, is a youngster who is poised to make a big impression. And don’t be fooled by his age. In just 58 balls, Vaibhav became the fastest century ever scored by an Indian in Under-19 Test cricket. In a Cooch Behar Trophy match against Jharkhand, he also shown his big-hitting ability by scoring 151 runs off 128 balls. Watch the footage of him facing Jofra Archer if you were still unsure.
In this IPL season, Archer bowled the fastest delivery, and the young player displayed no fear. Archer smiled widely after a few great shots because he felt like he was bowling to a future star.
This leads us to the crucial query. This season, will Vaibhav make his debut?
RR isn’t hesitant to include Vaibhav.
A franchise that has never shied away from throwing their weight around kids is RR. The Royals have been a bold team to give young players prominent roles and thrust them into the spotlight since the beginning of the IPL.
They trusted Ravindra Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan throughout their championship campaign, and the franchise has subsequently handed significant roles to Sanju Samson, Yashavi Jaiswal, and even Jofra Archer. In a similar vein, don’t be shocked if Vaibhav is introduced to the public.
During one of his press conferences, coach Rahul Dravid hinted at this by stating that RR won’t be afraid to put Vaibhav in a difficult situation.
“He is training really well, and he looks like a really good and exciting talent but there are other equally good players as well and part of our responsibility is to groom him well, give him a little bit of time in the environment, let him get used to it and practice with the players, let him get a feel of the environment, all these are great experiences for him, rather than putting him straight in front of the crowd so it’s a part of the process we follow in grooming a player and if an opportunity arises we won’t be scared to play him if it is required,” stated Dravid.
Vikram Rathour, the batting coach for RR, stated that the strategy might be a long-term one with the 13-year-old.
“The strategy, the surface, and the opposition will all play a role in whether or not we employ him. He is a highly unique player, which is why we hired him. Even though he is young, he has a lot of skill, and I rarely see a guy this young with the power that he does. The signals are excellent, and I have no doubt that he will become a major player if he puts in the necessary effort,” Rathour added.
When and when is Vaibhav useful?
From a cricketing standpoint, there is little likelihood that Vaibhav will be used this season. Despite being a team in transition, the Royals have proven they can compete with the best teams and still provide success. This implies that they will strive to remain competitive for a postseason berth until the very end.
Giving him a chance to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal and telling him to have a free hit would be fascinating if he does play. Putting the child in the middle order is an option if they wish to offer them greater responsibility.
However, this can also occur if RR is unable to qualify for the playoffs. As of right present, it appears like Dravid and the RR management would continue to nurture Vaibhav before launching him in the upcoming campaign. It will be amazing to watch the young player face the world’s top bowlers, though, if they decide to be daring.
Under such circumstances, they might not want to include a child in the mix. Don’t discount the opportunity to watch the young player play, though, since we have witnessed audacious decisions being made in the IPL before.