Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the youngest-ever Orange Cap winner, admitted feeling upset after only two teams bid for him at the IPL auction. But after two explosive seasons, he now feels grateful, calling the Royals his family and cherishing his journey with the franchise.
The Rajasthan Royals’ acquisition of then 13-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at the IPL 2024 mega auction grabbed headlines before he went on to prove in the high-stakes tournament like the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Sooryavanshi was acquired for INR 1.1 crore by The Royals’ franchise, making him the youngest player to ever earn an IPL contract. The young batter managed to justify his price tag with his explosive performance and fearless strokeplay across two IPL seasons, culminating in a record-breaking 2026 campaign where he finished as the youngest-ever Orange Cap winner with 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.30.
With INR 1.1 crore per IPL season, Sooryavanshi demonstrated that his value to the franchise far exceeded his base contract. Two centuries, six fifties, and a combined strike rate of 228.95 across his first 23 IPL matches have firmly established him as the tournament’s most lethal weapon.
Also Read: Vaibhav Suryavanshi: Bihar’s 15-Year-Old Smashes Sachin’s 36-Year Record, Gets India Call-Up
Sooryavanshi Upset over Two Teams Bidding For Him at Auction
Though Vaibhav Sooryavanshi secured his first IPL contract from the Rajasthan Royals, the 15-year-old recently admitted that he was left feeling ‘a bit upset’ on auction day. Apart from the Royals, the Delhi Capitals also bid for the young prodigy, and both franchises engaged in an intense bidding war to secure the services of Sooryavanshi.
Speaking to RR manager Romi Bhinder in a video posted by the franchise on its X handle (formerly Twitter), Vaibhav admitted that he had anticipated much greater interest from the other franchises, rather than two teams bidding for his signature.
“Honestly, when I was picked, so, I was thinking that only two teams have bid for me, so why not? I played well, I did well in the trials, other teams should have also come,” Sooryavanshi said.
Scroll to load tweet…
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi entered the auction at a base price of INR 30 lakhs, but the aggressive pursuit by the Royals and Capitals quickly propelled his value, securing his place in history as the youngest-ever IPL signing. His price tag increased by nearly four times its original value during the bidding process, eventually closing at INR 1.1 crore.
That initial frustration, however, has long since faded, replaced by what the teenager describes as a profound sense of gratitude for the platform provided by the Rajasthan Royals.
‘Thank you, God, For Bringing Me to the Rajasthan Royals’
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reflected on his journey with a sense of humility, acknowledging that his early disappointment was shortsighted.
“But after spending one-and-a-half years with the team, I am honestly telling you that I must have said thank you to God at least 1000 times. Thank you, God, for bringing me to a team like Rajasthan Royals.” Sooryavanshi said.
“The coaches, support staff, players, management team, media team, trainers, everyone feels like family. It feels like you are at home. You are so comfortable that you can share anything with anyone. If something is bothering you, you can speak about it,” he added.
Following his historic 2026 season, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been confirmed as a key part of the team’s future and is expected to be retained by Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2027.
In his IPL career, Sooryavanshi has scored 1,028 runs, including two centuries and six fifties, at an average of 44.69 and a strike rate of 228.95 in 23 matches. Out of his total runs, the 15-year-old has scored 900 runs through 96 sixes and 81 fours, meaning approximately 87.55% of his runs have come from boundaries.
Also Read: Agarkar on resting Bumrah for T20Is: Focus on ODIs and Test fitness