Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has heaped praise on Rajasthan Royals for giving 14-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi his IPL debut against Lucknow Super Giants, dubbing him the new "wonderboy" of Indian cricket. Suryavanshi made an immediate impact with a fearless knock that caught the attention of fans and pundits alike.
Opening the batting for RR in their 181-run chase against LSG, replacing the injured Sanju Samson, Suryavanshi partnered with Yashasvi Jaiswal to create a buzz. Reflecting on the youngster's performance on JioHotstar, Manjrekar highlighted the maturity and composure Suryavanshi displayed. "Just imagine—parents in their late 30s or early 40s watching this. It was unbelievable. His first two sixes came off good deliveries, and then he showed great maturity against the spinners. He impressed everyone. When he got out, it looked like he might cry—and at his age, that would’ve been completely natural," said Manjrekar.
Manjrekar further praised Rajasthan Royals for trusting the young player, giving him the ideal platform to showcase his skills at the top of the order. "They've truly unveiled a new wonder boy," he added.
Suryavanshi’s debut was highly anticipated after RR bought him for Rs 1.1 crore at the IPL mega auction. Despite the hype, RR's head coach Rahul Dravid had emphasized that the team would not rush the teenager into the high-pressure IPL environment. However, with Samson injured after retiring hurt against Delhi Capitals, Suryavanshi seized his opportunity, scoring a quickfire 34 off 20 balls. His innings included a first-ball six off Shardul Thakur, before he was stumped by Rishabh Pant off Aiden Markram.
Although Suryavanshi and Jaiswal's opening partnership of 85 runs got RR off to a strong start, the middle order faltered, and RR fell short in the final stages. Avesh Khan’s brilliant final over ensured a thrilling 2-run win for Lucknow in Jaipur, despite the early fireworks from the opening pair.
Stay updated on IPL 2025 with India Today for match schedules, team squads, live scores, and the latest IPL points table, along with tracking the contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!
