Now, when 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi goes and snatches the spotlight in the IPL 2025 mega auction by securing more than a crore rupees, a few follow-up questions from fans are understandable. The first and big one being, is this batting prodigy eligible to play in the upcoming IPL, or is there some twist revolving around this?
Speaking about this batting star from Bihar, who is currently gaining attention all over due to his performances, in the IPL 2025 mega auction, he was picked by the inaugural IPL champions, Rajasthan Royals. According to reports, Vaibhav’s potential was first recognized by the RR camp, as at their high-performance center in Nagpur, he caught the attention of several high-profile names from the RR camp, including RR CEO, Lush McCrum. At the auction table, RR went all out and bought him for Rs 1.10 crore. Now, he is set to represent RR in the upcoming IPL, but the question is, can he don the jersey and get a chance in the playing XI? See what the rule says about this.
Is Vaibhav Suryavanshi eligible to play in IPL 2025?
If we look at how higher-level cricket operates, there is certainly an eligibility age to play international cricket. According to the ICC manual, the minimum age should be 15 for participation, albeit with provisions for exceptions. So, if this youngster gets a chance to play for India at a higher level, the BCCI would need to take special permission from the ICC. Not to forget, he is already doing an impressive job for India Under-19.
When it comes to the IPL, he is surely eligible to play because this cash-rich league does not impose a formal minimum age requirement. However, teams cannot pick players unless they have previously played first-class or List-A cricket for their respective state. Since Vaibhav has already played and represented Bihar in the domestic circuit, he is set to go. Ultimately, it all depends on how the team treats such a player. If they believe he is ready, then he can play.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi IPL price
Starting with a base price of 30 lakhs, but this emerging batter fetched Rs 1.10 crore and became the youngest player in IPL history to receive such a whopping price. He will represent RR in the upcoming IPL.