Just a few months ago, Rahul Dravid believed the newly turned teenager, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, was too young for even Under-19 cricket!
Vaibhav Suryavanshi: A 14-Year-Old Phenom Lights Up the IPL
Maybe it was fast approaching his bedtime. Maybe someone had promised him a batch of fresh, hot jalebis that he apparently relishes so much (as Ravi Shastri helpfully shared on air). Or maybe, he was simply doing what any 14-year-old would do — having fun.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi turned an ordinary Indian Premier League season into something extraordinary on Monday night. At just 14 years and 32 days old, he became the youngest centurion in representative T20 cricket. Pause for a moment and let that sink in: 14 years and 32 days. His blazing century, off just 35 deliveries, is the fastest IPL hundred by an Indian and the second fastest overall, trailing only Chris Gayle’s legendary 30-ball assault. Welcome to the world of serious cricket, Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Think back — what were you doing at 14? I remember myself, eyes glued to Kapil Dev lifting the 1983 World Cup at Lord’s. Just watching was exhilarating. Imagine what Vaibhav must be feeling, living it.
His first ball in IPL cricket, bowled by Shardul Thakur on April 19 during Rajasthan Royals’ clash against Lucknow Super Giants, was launched over wide long-off for six. Barely a week later, he hammered 11 sixes against a quality Gujarat Titans attack. Each stroke was precise, including an extraordinary backfoot punch off Prasidh Krishna that flew over long-off. Gujarat’s 209 for four looked imposing — until the baby-faced assassin dismantled their hopes with a breathtaking display of fearless hitting.
His partner in the 166-run opening stand, Yashasvi Jaiswal, though just 23, must have felt like the elder statesman as Vaibhav tore into Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Karim Janat, and Rashid Khan with astonishing ease. The Sawai Mansingh Stadium erupted with every blow, especially from loyal Royals fans still reeling after three heartbreaking losses.
Even in the dugout, the emotion was visible. Rahul Dravid — calm, methodical, usually reserved — smiled, twitched, and then broke into pure, unfiltered joy. As Vaibhav hammered Rashid Khan over midwicket for his 11th six to bring up the historic hundred, Dravid forgot his Achilles injury, rising from his wheelchair, hands in the air, shouting “Yes, yes!” in an utterly heartwarming moment.
That’s what young talent does — it brings out emotions hidden even in the calmest souls. Vaibhav, still a couple of years younger than Dravid’s younger son Anvay, will surely need Dravid not just as a coach but also as a guiding figure to keep him grounded. After all, only a few months ago, Dravid himself had thought Vaibhav was too young even for Under-19 cricket.
When Vaibhav Suryavanshi was not allowed to play vs Australia U19
Vaibhav Suryavanshi first caught the attention of junior national selection panel chairman VS Thilak Naidu, the former Karnataka wicketkeeper-batter, during a Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-19 match in Chandigarh a year and a half ago — when he was just 12 years old. Despite looking every bit his age, he batted with the poise, maturity, and power of someone much older, effortlessly belting older players around the park. Impressed, Naidu and his panel, with the backing of VVS Laxman — head of the National Cricket Academy (now called the Centre of Excellence) — fast-tracked Vaibhav’s development. Though he missed selection for the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa in early 2024, the backing never wavered.
Last September, Vaibhav was deliberately held back from the one-dayers against the visiting Australia Under-19 team to focus on improving his fielding. However, he was slotted straight into the two subsequent ‘Test’ matches, making an instant impact with a blistering 62-ball 104 at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. Unfazed by pace and bounce, he peppered the Chepauk outfield with 14 fours and four sixes, showing composure beyond his years. By then, he had already debuted for Bihar’s senior team across all three formats.
At the time of the mega IPL auction in Jeddah last November, Vaibhav had only one T20 appearance for Bihar under his belt. Yet that didn’t deter the Rajasthan Royals, who invested ₹1.1 crore in the then 13-year-old — making him the youngest-ever player to hold an IPL contract. As it turns out, it was only the first of many “youngest” records he would go on to shatter.
