"Can a 13-year-old kid really hit such a long six?" - Former Pakistani pacer questions Vaibhav Suryavanshi's real age
Thirteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi has grabbed headlines after becoming the youngest-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) player. The right-handed batter was picked by Rajasthan Royals (RR) for ₹1.10 crore at the IPL 2025 auction.
Suryavanshi was also part of India's squad in the recently concluded U19 Asia Cup. He played a stunning 67-run knock off 36 balls in the semifinal against Sri Lanka. The teenager dazzled the viewers by hitting five sixes and six fours during his stay at the crease.
While Suryavanshi earned widespread praise for his batting exploits, former Pakistani pacer Junaid Khan questioned the Bihar prodigy's real age. He shared a video via his official Instagram showing one of Suryavanshi's massive sixes from the U19 Asia Cup semifinal and suggested that a 13-year-old can't hit such a big six.
Junaid captioned the post:
"Can a 13-year-old kid really hit such a long six????"
Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 176 runs across five innings at the U19 Asia Cup. He was dismissed for nine in the final against Bangladesh, who beat India by 59 runs.
"He can again undergo age test" - Vaibhav Suryavanshi's father's response to age fraud allegations
Vaibhav Suryavanshi was accused of age fraud by some after his old interview went viral. In the interview, he had revealed that he would turn 14 in September 2023.
Amid the allegations, Suryavanshi's father Sanjiv clarified that his son had previously undergone a BCCI bone test and was ready to do the same again. He said during a chat with news agency PTI (via News18):
"When he was eight and half years old he first appeared for a BCCI bone test. He has already played India U-19. We don’t fear anyone. He can again undergo age test"
Suryavanshi will rub shoulders with the likes of Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jofra Archer, and Nitish Rana in IPL 2025. He will be coached by India's 2024 T20 World Cup-winning coach Rahul Dravid.