Vaibhav Suryavanshi rose to prominence after being acquired by the Rajasthan Royals for INR 1. 1 crore, and more recently on Monday (April 28, 2025) when the 14-year-old justified the trust placed in him with an extraordinary 35-ball 100 against Gujarat Titans in Jaipur, but beyond the franchise, he owes his swift rise to the legendary Indian cricketer VVS Laxman.

Vaibhav encountered Laxman during a BCCI U-19 one-day Challenger tournament, for which he was chosen due to his stellar performance in an inter-district senior tournament in Bihar. The former Indian player, recognizing his talent, picked him for an U-19 quadrangular series against England and Bangladesh. However, during one of the matches for India B, Vaibhav was brought to tears after being out for 36 runs, and it was Laxman who stepped in to console him.

“During one of the matches, Vaibhav got run out for 36. Consequently, he began to cry in the dressing room. When Laxman noticed this, he approached him and stated, ‘We don’t only focus on the runs here. We recognize players who possess the talent for the long haul. ’ Laxman quickly recognized his potential. The BCCI has supported him as well,” Vaibhav's coach Manoj Ojha mentioned to The Hindu last November, shortly after the Bihar-based cricketer gained attention with his IPL auction price.

However, Laxman’s involvement did not stop there. As reported in The Indian Express, the 50-year-old recommended Vaibhav to Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid, who took him under his guidance. In fact, Laxman, who is currently the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), personally oversaw his progress over the past two years before suggesting him to Dravid.

Vaibhav made his IPL debut on April 19 against Lucknow Super Giants at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, where he first displayed a hint of his power-hitting capabilities and fearless mentality when he casually sent a delivery from Shardul Thakur for a six on the very first ball of his career. He made a brisk 34 and was seen crying after his dismissal.

However, Vaibhav truly revealed his potential on Monday, when he smashed seven fours and 11 sixes in his 35-ball century, the quickest ever by an Indian in IPL history and second fastest overall. He also formed a match-winning 166-run opening partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal as Rajasthan chased down 210 runs in merely 15. 5 overs.

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