Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Maroosha Muzaffar

Indian fans go wild as teen cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi hits stunning IPL century

Vaibhav Suryavanshi IPL Cricket Sachin Tendulkar Rajasthan Royals Surya Kumar Yadav Gujarat Titans
Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Suryavanshi celebrates after becoming the youngest player to score an IPL century - (REUTERS)

Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi made history on Monday with a record-breaking century in the Indian Premier League (IPL) during the clash between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans.

Suryavanshi had shown glimpses of his ability with a first-ball six on his IPL debut earlier this month, and on Monday his explosive talent was on full display as he tore apart Gujarat Titans with a 38-ball 101 in the Royals' eight-wicket win.

Suryavanshi, who became the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket, completed his ton in only 35 balls – the fastest by an Indian player in the league and second only to Chris Gayle's 30-ball century in 2013.

Experts sang paeans to his fantastic batting speed, control, and power that enabled him to smash massive sixes against top international bowlers – including a hook shot off Ishant Sharma and a stunning back-foot pull against Washington Sundar.

Several cricketing legends also took to social media to praise the boy who was “born to bat”.

Sachin Tendulkar wrote on X: “Vaibhav’s fearless approach, bat speed, picking the length early, and transferring the energy behind the ball was the recipe behind a fabulous innings.” He added: “Well played!!”

Rajasthan coach Rahul Dravid forgot about his leg injury and leapt from his wheelchair when Suryavanshi completed his century.

Cricket writer Karthik Krishnaswamy wrote in ESPN India about Suryavanshi's remarkable skill set, which he said belied his youth. He said his century established him as a prodigy with a bright future in cricket. “Tendulkar was 16 then, and Suryavanshi is younger still, an age both precocious and, to the viewer, precarious,” he wrote.

“You are old enough if you are good enough, yes, but it’s still legitimate to ask if a 14-year-old should even be playing professional sport, with all its pressures and pitfalls.

“But then you watch Suryavanshi’s bat trace that smooth, powerful circle and launch the ball into the night sky, and you still your doubts and fears. This boy was born to bat.”

Another former Indian cricketer, Yuvraj Singh, wrote on X: “What were you doing at 14?!! This kid is taking on the best bowlers in the world without blinking an eyelid! Vaibhav Suryavanshi – remember the name! Playing with a fearless attitude. Proud to see the next generation shine!”

Surya Kumar Yadav, another cricketer, wrote: “Witnessed this carnage of an innings by this youngster. Absolutely insane!”

Tejashwi Yadav, a politician from Bihar and a former cricketer, also praised the teen from Bihar. “Proud of our own Bihari Boy Vaibhav Suryavanshi ... 14 years old became the second fastest Centurion in IPL history ..Keep it up,” he wrote on X.

Former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth wrote on X: “At 14, most kids dream & eat Icecream. Vaibhav Suryavamshi delivers a fabulous 100 against one of the contenders for IPL! Composure, class, and courage beyond his years. We are witnessing the rise of a phenom. Indian cricket’s next superstar is here.”

Himanta Biswa Sarma, chief minister of Assam, posted a clip of the moment the 14-year-old prodigy hit his century and wrote on X: “What were you doing when you were 14?”

“Unbelievable knock!” he said.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Piprahwa gems auction on hold at Sotheby’s after India legal threat
Sale of relics was to take place in Hong Kong but Indian government proclaimed it offensive to Buddhists and illegal
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
OpenAI's Latest ChatGPT AI Models Are Smarter, But They Hallucinate More Than Ever
OpenAI's GPT-o3 and o4-mini models hallucinate fake facts in up to 79% of answers, raising major concerns about AI accuracy and real-world use.
International Business Times
International Business Times
'The Four Seasons' season 2 just got a surprise tease by Tina Fey
Netflix's "The Four Seasons" might get a season 2 after all if show co-creator Tina Fey has anything to say about it.
Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
You Probably Do This Every Day- But Experts Warn It's Harming Your Child's Development
A common everyday habit of parents may be harming their child's development and emotional well-being.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
People more willing to empathise with groups than individuals, study finds
Participants were asked to write down three keywords describing the feelings or appearance of the people in the images they viewed
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
'World's first' male contraceptive implant in trials: how it works
Contraline's new male contraceptive, the Adam implant, is undergoing phase 2 clinical trials. This is how this breakthrough could change birth control
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play