Rajasthan Royals’ batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has sparked fresh momentum in the debate over an India call-up, riding a breakout IPL campaign. In the first 10 matches of the season, the 15-year-old has already piled up 404 runs, including a rapid 36-ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
At a glance
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has scored 404 runs in 10 IPL games this season.
- He struck a century off 36 balls versus Sunrisers Hyderabad.
- RR Director of Cricket Zubin Bharucha discussed his camp conversations with CEO Jake Lush McCrum.
- RR’s first-day camp work reportedly forced a change in their auction approach.
- During the IPL 2025 mega auction, Rajasthan Royals bought Sooryavanshi for Rs 1.1 crore.
RR’s cricket director Zubin Bharucha has now revisited the moment he spoke with the franchise leadership after Sooryavanshi’s initial day at the Royals camp ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Bharucha shared that the early session didn’t just impress—it altered the thinking within the organisation.
While recalling the atmosphere around that first day, Bharucha described how the batting entry unfolded as if everything clicked immediately. He compared the moment to seeing elite players deliver instant impact, noting examples from his past experiences including Sanju Samson’s first-ball boundaries and Shubman Jaiswal’s aggressive shot-making.
‘Something generational’
Bharucha said he expected Sooryavanshi to be confronted, tested, or perhaps even shaken by the bowling he was facing. Instead, the very next ball turned into a statement—hammered for six—leaving Bharucha convinced that the situation was not typical of a first-day trial.
In his view, the signs were too strong to ignore. After the trial ended, he explained that he quietly adjusted the plan—particularly because the camp did not have express pace options available. Rather than slow things down, he sent everyone away and then brought Sooryavanshi back for another look, aiming to run sharper evaluation.
Bharucha added that the Royals had side-armers in the group—tall and quick—and the intention was to test Sooryavanshi’s temperament and timing under different angles. He instructed him to attack, telling the teenager, “Go at him,” and said the batter responded immediately by clearing the sight screen with the next delivery after a brief start.
From there, Bharucha said the message to the CEO was direct. He claimed he sent a note to Jake Lush McCrum straight away, stating that the Royals had uncovered something “completely generational.” Bharucha went further, saying Sooryavanshi was the best talent he had seen since Sachin Tendulkar.
That belief later showed up in the auction room. During the IPL 2025 mega auction, Rajasthan Royals secured Sooryavanshi on a deal worth Rs 1.1 crore—turning that first-day camp impact into a major investment for the future.
