Vaibhav Suryavanshi owes his sudden rise in fortune not only to Rajasthan Royals and Rahul Dravid but also to VVS Laxman.
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Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s Journey: How VVS Laxman Shaped His Path to IPL Stardom
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s rise to fame was swift after Rajasthan Royals acquired him for INR 1.1 crore, and even more so following his historic 35-ball 100 against Gujarat Titans on April 28, 2025. However, his journey to stardom is not just about the IPL franchise’s faith in him, but largely thanks to India legend VVS Laxman.
Vaibhav first crossed paths with Laxman during a BCCI U-19 one-day Challenger tournament, where he was selected based on his performance in an inter-district senior tournament in Bihar. Impressed by the young cricketer’s talent, Laxman picked him for the U-19 quadrangular series against England and Bangladesh. In one of those matches, after Vaibhav was dismissed for 36, he was in tears in the dressing room. It was Laxman who consoled him, saying, “We don’t only see the runs here. We see people who have the skill for the long run.”
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s Explosive IPL Century
Vaibhav Suryavanshi made his IPL debut on April 19 against Lucknow Super Giants at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. He gave fans a glimpse of his potential by launching a delivery from Shardul Thakur for a six on the very first ball of his career. He quickly scored 34 runs, visibly emotional when he was dismissed.
However, Vaibhav truly made his mark on Monday, blasting seven boundaries and 11 sixes in an incredible 35-ball century. This became the fastest-ever by an Indian in IPL history and the second-fastest overall. He also formed a match-winning 166-run opening partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal, leading Rajasthan Royals to chase down 210 runs in just 15.5 overs.