A video pulled from the IPL mega auction held in Saudi Arabia in 2024 is now being used as a bitter reminder of a lost chance for Delhi Capitals, who, fans believe, made the biggest fumble in the history
of IPL auctions. Why? Because it was the year a little-known 13-year-old cricket prodigy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, was introduced to the Indian Premier League scene, and the teen sensation has pretty much altered the way we view T20 cricket today.
So why did the Delhi Capitals not bring Sooryavanshi on board, and how did the Rajasthan Royals manage to secure the deal?
The Viral Mega Auction: RR vs DC
Sooryavanshi was tabled at the base price of Rs 30 lakh when the Delhi Capitals (DC) opened the bidding. It was then Rajasthan Royals, led by Rahul Dravid, chased the bid with Rs 35 lakh. The two franchises then exchanged bids, eventually driving the price to Rs 1 crore. Delhi Capitals then backed out, but RR persevered. After the intense bidding war between the teams, Rajasthan scripted history. They ended up buying the youngest player in IPL history. Rajasthan Royals snapped up Sooryavanshi for Rs 1.1 crore. Not shabby for a 13-year-old.
Delhi Capitals will regret this moment forever pic.twitter.com/D81e9mllx3
— Aswathama (@Ashwathama_a) May 27, 2026
What Do IPL Fans Have To Say About DC’s Miss?
The supporters lauded Rajasthan for not only bringing the talent home but also giving him opportunities to perform for the team from up top. “In any other dugout #VaibhavSooryavanshi likely wouldn’t have seen a single game. Rajasthan Royals are famous for unearthing and backing raw talent when no one else will. The cricket world can thank #RR for actually letting us see him play,” X user @mandakini_ remarked.
Whatever happened, happened for the good, commented another. “What happened was for the greater good. He needed Dravid in his first IPL season, not Badani. It’s a win for Indian cricket as well as Sooryavanshi himself. DC, especially the current coaches, are the last set of people to be associated with a generational talent (sic),” wrote @MalhotraSaurabh.
Also Read: Mumbai Indians’ Most Successful Captains Ranked: Rohit Sharma To Sachin Tendulkar
“Delhi at least called him for trial and then bid for him. The other 8 teams refused to even call him for trial and rejected him on paper,” a third added.
The conversation then shifted to Reddit where the cricket community patted RR for taking the gamble on such a young and upcoming talent and “Tbf a 13 YO kid with limited exposure even 1 Cr is a gamble. Kudos to Rajasthan for taking that Gamble but can’t blame Delhi for not pursuing it (sic),” the Reddit user wrote.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi In IPL 2026
After playing 7 matches and scoring 252 runs for Rajasthan Royals in his IPL debut year in 2025, Sooryavanshi became the most impactful player of IPL 2026, having plundered 680 runs in 15 matches at a mind-boggling strike rate of 242.86.
During the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sooryavanshi recorded the highest number of sixes smashed in a single season of IPL, beating the legendary and long-standing record set by Chris Gayle. Gayle sent the ball over the fence 59 times in IPL 2012, while Sooryavanshi has slammed 65 sixes so far in IPL 2026. His blitzkrieg of 97 off 29 deliveries earned him Player of the Match, the youngest to do so.
His raw power and fluid strokeplay earned him high praise from the greatest batsman the sport has ever seen, the mighty Sachin Tendulkar.
“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s bat swing has been outstanding. What’s even more remarkable is how beautifully he clears his front foot to create room for balls aimed at his legs. This freedom allows him to play the way he does. That innings was nothing short of spectacular!” Tendulkar wrote on his X page.
Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 97 Couldn’t Beat Suresh Raina’s 87 And It’ll Blow Your Mind Why
Sooryavanshi was over the moon upon seeing this, calling it a massive motivator to receive recognition from the legend, whom he considered the “god of cricket”.
“It feels really good, sir. It motivates me. You just told me about it; I wasn’t even aware. And of course, everyone knows he is the God of Cricket. If he has tweeted something like that, it’s a huge deal for us that a legend like him has tweeted about us. So, of course, it is a matter of pride,” Sooryavanshi said in the video uploaded on the IPL website.
What’s Next For RR?
Sooryavanshi’s opening batting exploits have been instrumental in driving Rajasthan Royals to the IPL 2026 playoffs. They will now take on the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 on Friday and eye a spot in the grand finale against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 31.
The prodigy currently tops the Orange Cap chart for the most runs smashed this season and would be keen on taking RR past the GT hurdle at the New Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in New Chandigarh.
