The IPL auction made Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a millionaire before he had even entered his teens. What it did not do, however, was convince him that the league fully believed in his talent.
The Rajasthan Royals youngster has revealed that he was surprised by the level of interest he attracted during the auction, admitting he could not understand why only two franchises chose to bid for him despite his performances and trials. Nearly two years later, after establishing himself as one of the most exciting young players in Indian cricket, Sooryavanshi says that feeling has been replaced by gratitude.
“Only two teams bid for me. Why?”: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Speaking in an interview released on Rajasthan Royals’ social media channels, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi recalled his thoughts from the day he was picked at the IPL auction. “Honestly, when I was picked, I was thinking that only two teams bid for me. Why? I play well, I had done well. Other teams should also have come for me.”
The quote offers a revealing glimpse into the confidence that has driven the teenager’s rise. Rather than feeling fortunate simply to earn an IPL contract, Sooryavanshi believed he had already shown enough to attract wider interest across the league.
At the auction, the bidding for the youngster eventually came down to Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals, with Rajasthan securing his services for ₹1.1 crore. At the time, it may have appeared to be a speculative investment in potential. Looking back now, it has become one of the most talked-about auction decisions of recent seasons.
Sooryavanshi’s journey since then has transformed his view of the franchise. “But after spending one-and-a-half years with the team, I am honestly telling you that I must have said thank you to God at least 1000 times. Thank you, God, for bringing me to a team like Rajasthan Royals.”
The teenager explained that the environment inside the franchise played a major role in his development. “The coaches, support staff, players, management team, media team, trainers, everyone feels like family. It feels like you are at home. You are so comfortable that you can share anything with anyone. If something is bothering you, you can speak about it.”
Rajasthan Royals have long built a reputation around identifying and nurturing young talent. The franchise backed players such as Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel before they became established names. Sooryavanshi now appears to view himself as part of that same pathway.
He also credited the senior members of the squad for helping him adapt to life as a professional cricketer.“All the seniors guide me. They tell me what is good, what I can do and what I should not do. I get to learn a lot.”
The contrast between the two parts of Sooryavanshi’s story is striking. His first reaction to the auction was to wonder why only two franchises had faith in him. Today, after spending one-and-a-half years inside the Rajasthan Royals setup, he believes landing in Jaipur was the best thing that could have happened to his career.
For a player who once questioned the lack of bidders, the Rajasthan Royals have turned out to be the franchise he cannot stop thanking.
