Indian Premier League (IPL) has been providing platforms for budding young talents to make their mark at one of the most competitive arenas in cricket. Numerous unknown names have gone on to become household names in just 45 to 50 day's time.
Quite a lot of them have been rags to riches stories. However, at IPL 2018 auction, the son of a business tycoon, whose net worth is $12.7 bn (as listed by Forbes on January 28, 2018), got an opportunity to live his dream.
IPL Squads - CSK | RCB | SRH | KXIP | KKR | MI | DD
Yes, you read that right! Aryaman Vikram Birla, the son of Kumar Birla -- the head of Aditya Birla Group -- was bought for Rs 30 lakh by Rajasthan Royals on Sunday, January 28 in Bengaluru.
Also see: Full squad of Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2018
The 20-year-old, who base price was Rs 20 lakh, went unsold in the first round of auction only to be picked up by the former champions.
Here are a few things you need to know about Aryaman, who is excited to be part of a dressing room, which will also have the likes of Steve Smith, Ajinkya Rahane and Ben Stokes among others in the upcoming IPL season.
- Aryaman was born on July 9, 1997.
- He is one of three children of business tycoon Kumar Birla and Neerja Birla.
- Aryaman revealed he started playing cricket at the age of nine. "That time, it was just a passion. slowly, it grew on me," Aryaman told Sportstar magazine.
- Aryaman is an all-rounder, who bats left-handed and bowls left-arm spin.
- Aryaman trained under former India coach batsman and Mumbai coach Pravin Amre at the famous Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
- Amre revealed that he did not initially accept to coach Aryaman when the youngster approached him in the company of his mother at the Shivaji Park.
- "Aryaman came to meet me at Shivaji Park with his mom. I didn't take him into my academy because he was Kumaramangalam Birla's son, but because I was convinced that he had talent in him," Amre told the Times of India.
- Aryaman moved to Madhya Pradesh's Rewa town four years ago to revive his cricketer career after not getting enough opportunities in Mumbai.
- Aryaman rose to the limelight when he slammed 795 runs for Madhya Pradesh and finished as the top-scorer in the U-23 Colonel CK Nayudu Trophy 2017/18.
- He slammed a double hundred (230) against Chhattisgarh and hit three more centuries during the tournament as well.
- Aryaman made his Ranji Trophy debut in the recently-concluded 2017/18 season for Madhya Pradesh against Odisha on November 25, 2018. He could only manage 22 runs in the tie, which his team won by seven wickets.
Listen to what Aryaman said after bagging a contract with Rajasthan Royals.
Humble, confident and extremely talented.
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) January 28, 2018
Meet @AryamanBirla.
He's got a beautiful message for the Royals and the Squad.
.
.#HallaBol #AbBajegaDanka #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/VJm2jUyxgk