Cricket-Indian 13-year-old becomes youngest to earn IPL deal

Rajasthan Royals said they were confident 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi can make the step up to the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the batsman became the youngest player to earn a contract in the lucrative Twenty20 tournament.

Suryavanshi made his debut in the domestic Ranji Trophy red-ball competition aged 12 in January and played for India's Under-19 side against their Australian counterparts in September, scoring a 58-ball ton.

He has also scored a triple-century in a local tournament in his home state of Bihar, and recently told cricket website ESPNCricinfo that he idolises fellow left-hander and West Indian great Brian Lara.

Delhi Capitals also bid for Suryavanshi in Monday's auction but Rajasthan, coached by Rahul Dravid, secured his signature with a bid of 11 million Indian rupees ($130,517).

"He's been to our high performance centre in Nagpur, he had trials there and really impressed on the ground," Rajasthan CEO Jake Lush McCrum said after the auction in Jeddah.

"Incredible talent and of course, you've got to have the confidence so he can step up to the IPL level. Lots of work will go in over the coming months to continue to develop him, but a hell of a talent.

"We're really excited to have him as part of the franchise."

The 2025 IPL season begins on March 14.

($1 = 84.2800 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)