Vaibhav Sooryavanshi revealed that his father, Sanjiv, is the biggest inspiration and driving force behind his cricket journey. The 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals batting prodigy from Samastipur, Bihar, also looks up to West Indies legend Brian Lara and Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh as his cricketing idols. His father sold the family farmland and traveled 100 kilometers alternate days to Patna academy just to fund and support his training.
Vaibhav also dedicates his viral “A” hand-gesture celebration to his mother, Aarti, who wakes up at 4 AM every day to prepare his meals. The emotion-laden story of the family demonstrates how Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was encouraged to become the youngest IPL player by his father, Sanjiv.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Cites Father Sanjiv as Biggest Inspiration and Driving Force
The life history of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose life was inspired by his father Sanjiv, is the most emotional story of India’s cricket today. If the question arises in the mind of people on whom Vaibhav Sooryavanshi draws his inspiration, he never hesitates to say that it is his father, Sanjiv Suryavanshi, who inspires him the most. As Sanjiv was an aspiring cricket player himself but was unable to play professionally due to certain reasons.
The passion for cricket among the duo, i.e., father and son, became the major source of their success that many young cricketers could hardly dream of. Sanjiv knew the potential of Vaibhav right from his early childhood days when he saw him playing well even at the age of four. At the age of eight, Vaibhav had already shown great promise at the U-16 District trials.
Early Sacrifices: Father Sold Family Farmland to Fund Training
One of the strongest motivators for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to be motivated by his father, Sanjiv, is the huge sacrifice that his father had taken up. His father owned agricultural land in Motipur village, located near the town of Samastipur, in Bihar. For any rural community in Bihar, agriculture is more than just property. Yet Sanjiv sold this farmland to fund his 10-year-old son’s cricket training.
This decision to put all eggs in one basket with no Plan B became part of cricket folklore. Sanjiv told PTI in an interview, “Not just investment, it’s a big investment. Aapko kya bataye humne toh apna zameen tak bech diya. Abhi bhi halat pura sudhra nahi,” which means he sold his land, and financial issues remain. This shows the pressure Vaibhav carries every time he walks out to bat. He is not just playing for a trophy. He is playing to honor the land his father gave up for his dream.
The Daily Commute: 100 Kilometers to Patna Cricket Academy
The daily commute story proves why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi revealed who inspired him, and the answer is his father. To ensure Vaibhav received top-tier coaching, Sanjiv traveled with him about 100 kilometers on alternate days from their hometown in Samastipur to a cricket academy in Patna. They covered this distance every alternate day just for training when Vaibhav was eight years old.
At the academy, Vaibhav faced net bowlers who were 16-17 years old. His father, Sanjiv, would pack 10 extra tiffin boxes for these sessions. These days of facing older bowlers and the long journey did not go to waste. The hard work and dedication from both father and son paid off when Vaibhav became the youngest player in IPL history.
Cricketing Idols: Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh Shape Batting Style
Beyond his father, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi revealed who inspired him in terms of cricketing role models. In an interview with Star Sports Select, he said his favorite cricketers are Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh. The teenage cricket genius was impressed by Brian Lara of the West Indies and Yuvraj Singh of India, owing to the sheer dominance of these two batting giants.
According to Vaibhav, both Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh were the batting geniuses who amazed him with their outstanding knack of dominating an entire game single-handedly. He used to watch them finish games single-handedly, and it made him follow the same approach in his career.
Yuvraj Singh Connection with Rajasthan Royals
Singh’s tie took on even greater importance with Vaibhav’s participation with the Rajasthan Royals team. Yuvraj Singh is a famous Indian all-rounder player, winning both the T20 World Cup and the ODI World Cup in 2007 and 2011, respectively, for India. The feat of scoring six sixes within an over from England in the 2007 T20 World Cup is among the most famous incidents in cricket history.
