Johannesburg, April 9 -- Former South African captain and SA20 Commissioner Graeme Smith has lauded the Indian Premier League's (IPL) influence on global cricket, emphasising how the tournament's professional franchises, high standards, and talent scouting have helped discover prodigies like Rajasthan Royals' teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Smith, a member of the inaugural Rajasthan Royals squad in 2008, noted that the IPL has been instrumental in shaping competitive T20 ecosystems worldwide, including South Africa's SA20 league, and praised Sooryavanshi for making an immediate mark in the tournament.

Not since the legendary Sachin Tendulkar has Indian cricket served up a teenager who has had the entire cricket world in awe. Acc...