India batter Sanju Samson on Sunday recounted Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s audacious exchange with Rahul Dravid ahead of the youngster’s debut in the Indian Premier League last year for Rajasthan Royals.
Sooryavanshi, who was roped in for INR 1.1 crore, became the youngest-ever IPL debutant in 2025 when he played against the Lucknow Super Giants.
The teenager has since built a reputation for his fearless batting, which also played a key role in India winning the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2026. In the final against England Under-19 cricket team in Harare, he hammered a record-breaking 175 off just 80 balls.
But fans first witnessed his fearless approach during Rajasthan’s match against Lucknow last season, when he smashed seasoned campaigner and India all-rounder Shardul Thakur for a six off the very first ball he faced on debut.
At the BCCI’s annual Naman Awards, Sooryavanshi, who shared the stage with Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya, was asked about that memorable six. While the youngster began narrating the story himself, Samson stepped in to recount the full conversation.
{{/usCountry}}At the BCCI’s annual Naman Awards, Sooryavanshi, who shared the stage with Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya, was asked about that memorable six. While the youngster began narrating the story himself, Samson stepped in to recount the full conversation.
{{/usCountry}}“I was actually there in the meeting,” Samson said. “Rahul Sir called him into the room and told me, ‘Sanju, we need to talk to him. He’s a very young kid; we have to explain how to go about it.’”
According to Samson, Dravid then asked the youngster about his plans for the match.
“So Rahul Sir asked him, ‘Vaibhav, what’s the plan?’ Vaibhav replied, ‘Kuch nahi Sir, hum to khelenge (Nothing special, Sir. I’ll just play).’ Rahul Sir asked again, ‘What’s your game plan?’”
“Vaibhav said, ‘Agar hume pehla ball mila to hum pehla hi uda denge’ (If the first ball is in my zone, I’ll hit it in the air). And that’s exactly what he did. He’s playing a video game of his own,” Samson added.
Sooryavanshi later scripted another historic moment when he became the youngest centurion in IPL history, smashing 101 off 38 balls against the Gujarat Titans at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
The 14-year-old also expressed his ambition to help Rajasthan win the IPL title in 2026.
“The goal is to win the trophy for the team this season. If we win the trophy, it benefits the entire franchise as well as my own performance,” he said. “My aim is to contribute as much as I can to help the team lift the trophy.”