Sanju Samson, the captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR), praised 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the youngest player ever signed to the Indian Premier League (IPL), for his six-hitting prowess and for seeming poised to “land a few punches.”

Suryavanshi becoming a Royal for Rs 1.1 crore was one of the greatest shocks of last year’s IPL mega-auction. Vaibhav is the youngest player on the list, having been born in Bihar on March 27, 2011. At the age of 12 years and 284 days, he made his Bihar first-class debut in January 2024. He scored an incredible century off of 58 balls during India U19’s match against Australia in Chennai last year.

Additionally, he finished sixth in the ACC Under 19 Asia Cup 2024–25 in terms of runs scored. In five tournament matches, he amassed 176 runs, with a peak score of 76*.

In an interview with JioHotstar as part of the ‘SuperStar’ initiative, Samson said that today’s youth players are self-assured and aware of the proper way to play Indian cricket.

“In my opinion, I would rather observe a child first—how he wants to play cricket, what he enjoys, and what kind of assistance he needs from me—than provide advise. I then figure out how to get around it. At the academy, Vaibhav was hitting sixes out of the ground, and he exudes confidence. His use of force was already being discussed. What more is there to ask for? He said, “It all comes down to recognizing his strengths, supporting him, and being there for him like an older brother.”

Sanju believes Vaibhav, who made his Bihar T20 debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year, is prepared to contribute.

“The Rajasthan Royals (RR) are renowned for their ability to maintain players in peak condition and create a laid-back atmosphere. We support our athletes and make sure the changing room is a good place. You never know—in a few years, he may be playing for India. He seems ready for the IPL, in my opinion. He seems to be able to throw a couple good blows here and there. He went on, “Let’s see what the future brings.

On March 23, RR will play the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the runner-up from the previous season, at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad to begin their IPL 2025 campaign.