How Suryavanshi Proved Samson Wrong: 'I Was Thinking Little Guy Got Lucky'

Sports Cricket

Posted by AI on 2025-08-10 05:27:00 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-13 10:50:05

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Sanju Samson, one of the most talented young cricketers on the Indian domestic circuit, has said that he misjudged 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who made his IPL debut for the Rajasthan Royals a few weeks ago and showed the nerves of steel despite being the youngest player in the tournament.

Samson, the Rajasthan Royals captain, shared a meaningful bond with Suryavanshi, who came into the spotlight after scoring a whirlwind century in the IPL 2022 playoffs. The teenage prodigy became the youngest centurion in IPL history, scoring an unbeaten 101 off just 55 deliveries.

"I was thinking the little guy got lucky. But he proved me wrong," Samson said. "I have never seen anyone use the depth of the crease the way he does. His shots are all 360 degrees. I have also never seen someone of his age play three successive maidens in the death overs. I mean, we all know bowlers usually target young players in the death overs, but he has the skill and the belief to execute his plans."

Samson said the teenager, who has been backed by the team's coaching staff and senior players, was "definitely the find of the IPL" and predicted that he would play for India in the future.

"He has a bright future," Samson said. "If he continues to believe and works hard, he will play for India for sure."

Suryavanshi, who hails from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh and grew up idolizing Virat Kohli, couldn't have asked for a better platform to showcase his talent than the IPL stage. His breakthrough performance didn't go unnoticed by the national selection committee either, as he was named in the India A squad for the tour of the Netherlands and South Africa.

Reflecting on his rapid rise, Suryavanshi admitted that initially, he had no idea that he would be making his IPL debut this season.

"I thought I would be playing some matches in the second half of the IPL, but I didn't expect to make my debut this quickly," Suryavanshi told ESPNcricinfo. "The atmosphere in the Rajasthan team is brilliant - seniors walk up to you and encourage you to express yourself. Sanju bhaiyya always told me to keep my mindset free and not think too much about the past or the future."

With more than half the IPL campaign left to play, Suryavanshi, who is also a handy off-spinner, has already become a household name in India and will hope to continue his impressive form in the tournament.

It remains to be seen whether he can maintain his stellar performances in the upcoming matches, but one thing is certain - Suryavanshi has proved that age is just a number, and given his talent, he may soon be rubbing shoulders with the best in the international circuit.

Go!