Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has made an electric start to his cricket journey, sparking the kind of hype usually reserved for the sport’s biggest household names. With a wave of attention building around him, it’s not hard to see why fans and former players are already putting him in the same conversation as legends like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Even the Rajasthan Royals—already a franchise with a strong history—are drawing far more mainstream interest in recent times, largely fuelled by the growing “Vaibhav Sooryavanshi” effect. After Rajasthan won the opening season of the IPL, they have often lacked the constant spotlight enjoyed by teams such as the Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Yet Sooryavanshi’s rise, and the visibility he brings, has shifted the conversation in a dramatic way.
At the IPL 2024 mega auction, Rajasthan Royals secured Sooryavanshi for ₹1.1 crore, and the early return on that investment has been striking. The chatter around him is so intense that the idea of him becoming the headline act in a future auction no longer feels far-fetched. In fact, the argument being made is that if Sooryavanshi were to sit at the centre of an auction, he could not only become the most expensive player ever, but also stand a realistic chance of crossing the INR 30-crore mark.
Stuart Broad’s warning and the contract reality
That rising speculation also comes with a reminder from former England fast bowler Stuart Broad. Broad has indicated that Sooryavanshi is not locked into Rajasthan by any kind of long-term contractual guarantee, meaning the teenage sensation could potentially explore other options when the time comes. One of the most discussed possibilities, in that context, is a move to the Mumbai Indians.
Broad shared his thoughts in conversation with Jos Buttler on the “For The Love of Cricket” podcast, pointing to the moment Rajasthan brought Sooryavanshi into their setup. He recalled that when the Royals signed him, the youngster was around 14—possibly even 13—and Broad found it unusual to see such a young player arrive from the domestic circuit at that stage.
Broad explained that he wondered whether Rajasthan planned to keep the teenager around for a long stretch, and questioned the logic of the move because a franchise can’t realistically tie down a player for a decade. He added that Sooryavanshi could always decide to leave later—potentially for Mumbai Indians—once the rules and timing allow it.
While Rajasthan’s scouting and academy approach has often been praised, Broad’s comments underlined the larger reality: the player’s future may be shaped by his own decisions, not just the franchise’s plans.
Buttler’s admiration for Sooryavanshi’s fearless batting
Jos Buttler, who has also spoken directly with Sooryavanshi and says he is in awe of his batting, has continued to underline why the teenager’s performances are turning heads across world cricket. Buttler highlighted how Sooryavanshi has torn through some of the game’s toughest bowlers—naming Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins—and did it in a way that felt almost unreal. Buttler pointed out that Sooryavanshi hit each of those bowlers for a first-ball six, a sequence that he described as something unheard of at this stage of a young career.
In Buttler’s view, Sooryavanshi is not just a talented prospect—he has the qualities of a genuine entertainment product, the kind that makes crowds and TV viewers sit up immediately. Buttler’s message is that the fearlessness Sooryavanshi shows is comparable to the peak aggression of Chris Gayle and Virender Sehwag, but with the key difference that those iconic players were around 30 or 35 when they were delivering that brand of batting.
Buttler described Sooryavanshi as someone who is consistently “whacking” bowlers around the park, calling it outrageous that he is producing such impact while only 15 years old. He also said that when Rajasthan are playing, he feels the need to switch on the television purely to watch the youngster bat, because the excitement is that high.
Buttler further referenced the youngster’s recent form and the risk that comes with batting in that fearless style. He noted that Sooryavanshi was dismissed on the first ball against Sunrisers in the previous game—after hitting one that carried the danger of taking that aggressive approach early. However, Buttler emphasised that Sooryavanshi responded the next time, producing a hundred against them.
- Sooryavanshi’s early IPL momentum has made him a major talking point in Indian cricket, with Rajasthan Royals gaining extra attention because of his rise.
- Rajasthan Royals bought him at the IPL 2024 mega auction for ₹1.1 crore, and the investment has been paying off through performances that have drawn widespread fascination.
- Stuart Broad suggested that Sooryavanshi is not bound by a long-term commitment to Rajasthan, meaning he could explore other opportunities later, including the possibility of a move to Mumbai Indians.
- Broad also recalled that Rajasthan signed Sooryavanshi when he was roughly 14 (possibly 13), and admitted he initially found the timing and duration of such a move unusual.
- Jos Buttler said he is impressed by Sooryavanshi’s batting and described his fearlessness as exceptional for someone only 15.
- Buttler highlighted that Sooryavanshi hit Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins for first-ball sixes, calling it a rare and remarkable feat.
- Buttler compared Sooryavanshi’s aggressive intent to the peak fearless mindset of Chris Gayle and Virender Sehwag, while noting those players were much older when they were at that level.
- He added that Sooryavanshi’s first-ball dismissal against Sunrisers came from the same fearless risk, but the youngster then bounced back by scoring a hundred in the next outing against them.
