Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, Smashes IPL Century to Enter Record Books in Jaw-Dropping Fashion
As the clock ticked past 10:30 pm during the Rajasthan Royals’ chase of 210, 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi etched his name in IPL history.
Facing Rashid Khan in the 11th over, Suryavanshi launched a six over midwicket to bring up a remarkable century, making him the youngest ever to score an IPL hundred.
He reached the milestone in just 35 balls, the second-fastest in the league’s history. From his wheelchair-bound head coach Rahul Dravid, who leapt to his feet in sheer admiration, to millions watching across the country, it was an innings that stunned all.
The IPL, now in its 18th season, has seen many prodigies capture the imagination of fans. But none quite like this. Suryavanshi’s 38-ball 101, including seven boundaries and 11 towering sixes, helped Rajasthan Royals chase down Gujarat Titans’ total of 209 with ease, wrapping up the match in just 15.5 overs at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Hailing from Samastipur, Bihar, Vaibhav grew up idolizing West Indian legend Brian Lara, watching his videos religiously. Now, he’s already being touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket.
Former India opener and ex-chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth, reacting to the knock on X (formerly Twitter), posted: “At 14, most kids dream and eat ice cream. Vaibhav Suryavanshi delivers a fabulous 100 against one of the IPL title contenders! Composure, class, and courage beyond his years. We’re witnessing a phenomenon in the making. Indian cricket’s next superstar is here.”
Suryavanshi had already shown flashes of brilliance. Last November, he made headlines by scoring a century off 58 balls against the Australian Under-19 side, at the age of just 13. But that was junior cricket.
Rajasthan Royals, struggling for form earlier in the season, took a gamble last week by handing him his debut against Lucknow Super Giants. He smashed the first ball he faced for six.
On Monday night, he was in no mood to slow down. He got off the mark in style by dispatching a 90-metre six off Mohammed Siraj.
Soon after, he tore into veteran pacer Ishant Sharma, hitting him for three sixes and two fours in a single over, setting the tone for his whirlwind innings.
Though still developing as a batsman, Suryavanshi already shows an understanding of his strengths. His scoring zones are concentrated between long-on and square leg on the leg-side, and between cover and long-off on the off.
His early reading of length and brute power makes him a nightmare for bowlers. Eight of his 11 sixes came on the leg side, including those against Rashid Khan and Washington Sundar.
Asked about his approach in an earlier interview, Suryavanshi had said: “I don’t overthink. If the ball is there to be hit, I hit it. No second thoughts.”
That mindset served him well even against Rashid Khan. Despite initially appearing vulnerable due to limited footwork, he played sensibly. With the required run rate under control, he refrained from unnecessary risks and punished only those deliveries that landed in his hitting arc.
This dazzling performance was the culmination of years of sacrifice and relentless effort, especially by his father, Sanjeev. From working as a nightclub bouncer and cleaning public toilets to unloading cargo at Mumbai ports, Sanjeev chased one dream: to see his son succeed in cricket.
In their backyard in Samastipur, he set up a net facility and bowled for hours. At times, he even hired local unemployed youth to bowl to Vaibhav in exchange for food, ensuring his son had all the practice he needed.
While Sanjeev laid the foundation, it was local coach Manish Ojha who helped sharpen Vaibhav’s game. “He’s exceptionally gifted—3–4 years ahead of his age group,” said Ojha. “If you teach him something once, he absorbs it instantly. Then he’ll spend hours perfecting it in the nets until it becomes second nature.”
On Monday night, all those hours of preparation, muscle memory, and mental clarity came together in one unforgettable innings—one that may well be remembered as the birth of India’s next cricketing sensation.
