The father of 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi has addressed the allegations regarding his son's age. Vaibhav, who is set to become the youngest player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), will make his debut next season for the Rajasthan Royals, who acquired him for Rs 1.10 crore, reported NDTV Sports.
Sold farmland to support son's dreams
Sanjiv Suryavanshi, Vaibhav's father, who sold his farmland in his native Motipur village, located 15 kilometres from Samastipur in Bihar, to support his 10-year-old son's cricket dreams, was left speechless after the news.
In an interview with PTI, he expressed, "Vaibhav is no longer just my son, he belongs to all of Bihar." Currently, Vaibhav is in Dubai for the U-19 Asia Cup.
Recalling the days of his hardship, he said, "My son has worked hard. At the age of eight, he excelled at U-16 district trials. I would take him for his cricket coaching to Samastipur and then take him back..."
He further added that to fulfil his son's aspirations, he had to sell the land, and till date, their financial condition is not stable. "Aapko kya bataye humne toh apna zameen tak bech diya. Abhi bhi halat pura sudhra nahi," he told PTI.
Confident about son's age
When questioned about the controversy surrounding Vaibhav's age, with some speculating that he is 15, his father explained that Vaibhav underwent a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) bone test when he was 8.5 years old and had already played for India U-19. Defiantly, he added that they fear no one and are open to another age test if necessary.
The journey from "Doraemon" to the IPL Bidding War
Sanjiv credited Bihar Cricket Association President Rakesh Tiwary's "blessings" for supporting Vaibhav's journey. He also mentioned that Vaibhav's base price in the auction was Rs 30 lakh, with Delhi Capitals making the first bid. Rajasthan Royals later joined the bidding at Rs 35 lakh, eventually securing the player, outbidding Delhi Capitals.
His father proudly proclaimed how his son played excellently during the trial session for the Rajasthan Royals in Nagpur, "Rajasthan Royals had called him for trials in Nagpur. Vikram Rathour sir (batting coach) gave a match situation where he had to score 17 in an over."
"He smashed three sixes. At trials, he hit eight sixes and four fours," he said.
For a 13-year-old, understanding the concept of earning a crore can be challenging. So, how does Sanjiv plan to keep his young son away from monetary discussions?
He explained, "He simply wants to play cricket and nothing else. He was fond of Doraemon a few years ago, but not anymore."
