Indian Teenager Makes History as Youngest IPL T20 Centurion
Indian cricket celebrities respond to the impressive performance of 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the Indian Premier League. The young player was purchased for 11 million rupees (approximately €125,000) when he was only 13 years old during the November auction.
Indian batsman Vaibhav Suryavanshi made history as the youngest player to score a hundred in senior T20 cricket, achieving this feat at only 14 years and 32 days old on Monday.
In November 2024, the teenager etched his name in history at the age of 13 by becoming the youngest person to have played bought during the Indian Premier League's (IPL) yearly auction , where teams compete to sign players.
Records tumble
On April 19, Suryavanshi debuted in the IPL with the Rajasthan Royals, becoming the youngest player to participate in the competition. He introduced himself impressively by hitting a six on the very first delivery he encountered.
Nine days later, he broke several records as he scored the second-fastest hundred in the competition's history, requiring just 35 balls to reach the milestone.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Suryavanshi stated. “Scoring a century in the IPL feels surreal, almost like a dream. The practice I’ve put in over the past three or four months is clearly paying off.”
I simply look at the ball and play. Scoring a century in the IPL has always been my dream, and now it’s come true. I feel fearless; I don’t overthink, I just concentrate on performing.
Last November, he secured a contract in a profitable T20 event where he was purchased for 11 million rupees (approximately €125,000) by the Royals for participation in the eight-week league.
In just his third game in the IPL, he formed an opening partnership of 166 runs alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal and scored 70 not out off 40 deliveries as part of his total innings of 101.
Indian celebrities respond to the heroic acts of Suryavanshi
Several ex-Indian cricket legends expressed joy over Suryavanshi’s performance, including former skipper and iconic player Sachin Tendulkar, who commended the youngster’s versatile play.
"Vaibhav’s bold strategy, rapid batting pace, quick assessment of pitch lengths, and efficient transfer of power through the ball were key factors in his outstanding performance. The final tally: 101 runs from 38 deliveries. Great job!!" noted Sachin in a post on X.
In the meantime, Yuvraj Singh pointed out Suryavanshi's skill in dismissing some of the top bowlers globally during his innings.
"At 14 years old?! This young player is facing off against some of the top bowlers globally without showing even a hint of fear! Vaibhav Suryavanshi — take note of this name! Demonstrating incredible courage. It’s heartening to witness the rising stars making their mark!" Yuvraj shared on X.
The former cricketer and 1983 Indian World Cup champion Kris Srikkanth shared his thoughts as well. He said, “While many 14-year-olds are busy dreaming and enjoying ice creams, Vaibhav Suryavamshi has just scored an incredible century against one of the IPL favorites! His poise, elegance, and bravery surpass those expected at such a young age. We're seeing the emergence of a prodigy right before our eyes. Here comes India's future cricket sensation!”
In the meantime, Yusuf Pathan, who held the record for the quickest IPL century by an Indian player until Suryavanshi broke it, also commented on the young talent’s accomplishment.
Warm felicitations to the talented #VaibhavSuryavanshi for shattering my mark as the quickest IPL century scorer from India! It adds extra charm to witness this achievement with Rajasthan Royals, mirroring my own journey. Indeed, there’s a remarkable aura surrounding it all.
Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah
Author: Kalika Mehta