Dreams have come early for cricket-mad Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the shy schoolboy aged 13 who is the youngest player in Indian Premier League history.
The left-handed batter and spinner comes from India’s poorest state, Bihar, and his father is a farmer and part-time journalist, according to Indian media.
The teenager’s rise has been swift.
He made his domestic debut aged 12 in the Ranji Trophy in January, then was selected for India’s under-19 squad against a touring Australia team.
He promptly hit a 58-ball century.
But it was the bidding war at the IPL player auction in Saudi Arabia on Monday that catapulted the youngster into the global headlines.
Rajasthan Royals snapped him up for $130,500, three times higher than his base price.
Now he finds himself among the cricketing elite in the world’s most popular and lucrative T20 tournament.
Rajasthan coach Rahul Dravid said he was impressed by the talent of Suryavanshi, who had undergone a trial with the team.
“I think he has got some really good skills,” Dravid, the former India coach, said.
“We thought it might be a good environment for him to grow.”
Suryavanshi is currently in the United Arab Emirates for an U-19 Asia Cup tournament.
– ‘Wildest dreams’ –
His father, Sanjeev, said he was astonished by what unfolded at the auction.
“I am speechless… I don’t know what to say. It’s a massive thing for our family,” he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express newspaper.
“I had a gut feeling that he would get picked, but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that there would be a bidding war.”
He believes his son is at the right team if he is to realise his potential, although he is unlikely to play when the season starts next year.
“Over the years Royals have groomed the youngsters — be it Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel or Riyan Parag, all are products of the Rajasthan Royals franchise,” said Sanjeev.
“I sincerely hope that Vaibhav will also follow the same path.”
His state coach, Pramod Kumar, described him as a quiet boy who loves his cricket.
“He is the kind of player who has come on Earth to play cricket, he settles for nothing else,” Kumar told The Times of India newspaper.
“He hardly talks, but ask him about cricket and he can go on day and night.”
Dates for next year’s IPL have not been released but seasons usually run from March to May.
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