AT JUST 14 years and 32 days old, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has become the youngest player to score a century in a senior T20 match.
On Monday evening (28) in Jaipur, playing in only his third Indian Premier League (IPL) game for Rajasthan Royals, the left-handed batter stunned spectators and opposition alike with a 35-ball hundred — the second fastest in IPL history.
“It is like a dream, to score a century in the IPL,” Suryavanshi said after the match, where he was named player of the match for his 101 off 38 balls, which included 11 sixes and seven fours.
The milestone, achieved at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium against Gujarat Titans, wasn’t just about the numbers.
Suryavanshi surpassed a decade-old record held by Vijay Zol, who scored a domestic T20 century at the age of 18 years and 118 days in 2013. Only Chris Gayle’s 30-ball ton, also in 2013, was quicker in IPL history.
His innings, described as “incredible” by opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal, helped Rajasthan end a five-match losing streak as they chased down Gujarat’s 209-4 with ease.
The pair put on a 166-run stand for the first wicket, with Jaiswal remaining unbeaten on 70. Stand-in skipper Riyan Parag added 32 off 15 balls and sealed the win with a six.
“Incredible innings, one of the best I have seen,” Jaiswal said. “Hope he will do it for us for a long time. I was telling him to just keep going.”
Suryavanshi was bought by Rajasthan Royals for $130,500 in the November auction when he was just 13. He made his debut on 19 April against Lucknow Super Giants, hitting his first ball in professional T20 cricket for six off Shardul Thakur after coming in as an impact substitute.
On Monday, he showcased his power-hitting with 94 of his 101 runs coming in boundaries. He hit veteran Ishant Sharma for 28 runs in an over and then took 30 off an over from Afghanistan pacer Karim Janat — dispatching three sixes and three fours.
His century came with a six off Rashid Khan, who later led the Gujarat side after regular captain Shubman Gill sat out with a back spasm.
India legend Sachin Tendulkar praised the teenager’s composure and technique, writing on social media: “Vaibhav’s fearless approach, bat speed, picking the length early, and transferring the energy behind the ball was the recipe behind a fabulous innings. Well played!”
Reactions poured in from across the cricket world. Former Australia captain Aaron Finch asked, “Have you ever seen anything like this?” while India’s T20 skipper Suryakumar Yadav called it a “carnage of an innings” and “absolutely insane!”
Kris Srikkanth added to the chorus, praising Suryavanshi’s “composure, class and courage”, and declaring, “Indian cricket’s next superstar is here.”
Even Rajasthan’s head coach Rahul Dravid, currently using a wheelchair due to a broken leg, stood up in celebration as Suryavanshi reached his century — a moment that underlined just how special the innings was.
Nicknamed “Boss Baby” by commentators, Suryavanshi comes from Bihar and made his domestic debut in the Ranji Trophy at the age of 12.
His precocious talent was already making headlines when he scored a 58-ball century for India Under-19 against Australia — the second fastest youth Test century after Moeen Ali’s in 2005.
The IPL platform, however, has brought him to the attention of the wider cricketing world. Gill, who had scored 84 earlier in the match for Gujarat Titans, summed it up simply: “Tremendous hitting.”
With three wins and seven losses, Rajasthan currently sit seventh on the IPL table, but with a teenage phenomenon like Suryavanshi rising fast, the spotlight — and perhaps their fortunes — may well shift in the weeks to come.
(With inputs from agencies)
