The cricketing world is always on the lookout for the next big thing, the player who will dominate scoreboards and capture the hearts of fans. Now, two names are generating buzz: Aaryaveer Kohli, nephew of Virat Kohli, and Aaryavir Sehwag, son of Virender Sehwag. Both youngsters are making their mark in the Delhi cricket circuit and are set to participate in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) auction, fueling speculation about their potential to follow in their famous relatives' footsteps.
Aaryaveer Kohli, a 15-year-old leg-spinner, has been included in the DPL draft. He hones his skills at the West Delhi Cricket Academy under the guidance of Raj Kumar Sharma, who also coached Virat Kohli during his formative years. Aaryaveer is slotted into Category C, a category designated for Delhi Under-16 players.
Aaryavir Sehwag, the 17-year-old son of former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, is also in the DPL draft. Aaryavir has represented Delhi at the Under-19 level. He once scored a remarkable 297 against Meghalaya. He is placed in Category B along with his younger brother, Vedant, 15, an off-spinner who has played for Delhi U-16. In an extraordinary display of hitting in the Cooch Behar Trophy, Aaryavir hammered 51 fours and three sixes en route to his brutal 297 that came off just 309 balls. He agonizingly missed out on a triple ton, getting bowled three runs shy of the special landmark.
The Delhi Premier League has unearthed talents such as Priyansh Arya and Digvesh Rathi, who went on to secure lucrative IPL contracts. Arya's explosive batting, including six sixes in an over, helped him bag a substantial INR 3.80 crore contract. Rathi impressed with 14 wickets in 13 matches for Lucknow Super Giants.
While Aaryaveer and Aaryavir carry famous surnames, they are not the only young cricketers making waves in India. Vaibhav Suryavanshi is another name that has been circulating. At just 14 years old, Suryavanshi became the youngest centurion in T20 cricket, smashing a 35-ball hundred in the IPL. He also made his Ranji Trophy debut at the age of 12.
Other promising young Indian cricketers include Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill. Jaiswal, known for his explosive batting, was the highest run-scorer in the 2020 U-19 World Cup. Shaw made headlines as the youngest Indian to score a century on Test debut in 2018. Gill, after a stellar performance in the 2018 U-19 World Cup, has impressed in Test cricket.
Ultimately, time will tell if Aaryaveer Kohli and Aaryavir Sehwag can live up to the hype and carve out their own legacies in the world of cricket.