IPL auction record: 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi snapped up by Rajasthan Royals

VAIBHAV SURYAVANSHI, 13, made history as the youngest player to be sold at an IPL auction.

The left-handed batter and spinner from Bihar was purchased by Rajasthan Royals for £103,571 during the second day of the event held in Jeddah.

Suryavanshi entered the auction with a base price of £28,254, competing against seasoned players ahead of the 18th IPL season.

His selection stood out on a day when some big names, including Australia’s David Warner and England’s Jonny Bairstow, went unsold.

Suryavanshi’s cricketing career has already seen major milestones. He made his Ranji Trophy debut at age 12 and represented India’s Under-19 squad in a series against Australia.

He also scored a triple century in an under-19 ODI tournament in Bihar, cementing his reputation as a rising talent.

The previous person to hold that record was Prayas Ray Barman who went to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at 16 years old, in the 2019 auction. However, his IPL career did not last as failed to feature in subsequent tournaments.

The day saw other notable deals, with Indian pacers drawing attention. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for £1.01 million, while Mumbai Indians secured Deepak Chahar for £865,079. Afghan spinner Allah Ghazanfar, 18, was also picked up by Mumbai for £451,587.

On the auction’s first day, Rishabh Pant became the top buy, going to Lucknow Super Giants for £2.54 million, followed by Shreyas Iyer, signed by Punjab Kings for £2.52 million.

The IPL, a key driver of Indian cricket’s economy, generates over £8.73 billion annually. While the upcoming season's dates are unconfirmed, the tournament traditionally takes place between March and May. (Agencies)