Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Bengaluru: During the 2023-24 season of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, BCCI junior selection committee chairman Thilak Naidu was in Chandigarh to watch young talent. However, Naidu's plans were disrupted when the match he was assigned to watch was delayed due to a wet outfield following overnight rain. As he chatted with local match officials while waiting, a name kept cropping up -- a gifted youngster from Bihar who, they said, was worth keeping an eye on.
The match eventually was called off but a curious Naidu decided to follow the tip and drove to a nearby ground where Bihar were facing Assam. The match might have been a rain-shortened affair, but the young left-hander made the most of it, showcasing flair and composure well beyond his years. Not yet in his teens, Vaibhav Suryavanshi lit up the game with a sublime 86 off just 76 balls, peppered with 15 boundaries and a six, steering Bihar to a five-wicket win.
This wasn’t a one-off performance. In the subsequent days, against Haryana, Suryavanshi smashed 139 runs off 137 balls -- a knock laced with 14 fours and six sixes -- and followed it up with a couple of brisk fifties. His consistency, aggression and maturity at the crease convinced Naidu that he had stumbled upon a rare gem.
With a strong push from VVS Laxman, head of BCCI's Centre of Excellence (formerly the National Cricket Academy), Suryavanshi was fast-tracked. He earned a call-up to the Under-19 Challenger Trophy, a key step toward U-19 World Cup selection. Soon, he was selected for the U-19 quadrangular series near Vijayawada featuring India A, India B, England and Bangladesh.
Then came his breakthrough moment: a blistering 58-ball century in a Youth Test match against the touring Australia U-19 side for India U-19. The cricketing world took notice. It wasn’t long before the Rajasthan Royals, coached by Rahul Dravid, secured his services in the IPL auction, reportedly at Laxman’s suggestion. The rest, as they say, is history.