‘He was hitting Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma 10 rows back over extra cover and midwicket. Haydos said, ‘Oh, he can’t be 14!’
Vaibhav Suryavanshi continues to make waves across the cricketing world. First, it was the IPL, then England, and most recently, Australia — the 14-year-old’s exploits are creating headlines everywhere.
Suryavanshi first grabbed attention when Rajasthan Royals snapped him up for Rs 1.1 crore at just 13 years old. And he has more than justified that faith. In the IPL, he became the youngest ever to hit a century, blasting 101 off just 35 balls against the Gujarat Titans. His dominance didn’t stop there: he followed up with a brilliant 143 off 78 balls for India Under-19s against England and a 104 off 62 deliveries against Australia U-19s in the first Youth Test in Chennai.
Yet, nothing compared to that unforgettable night on April 28 in Jaipur. Suryavanshi tore apart some of India’s most experienced bowlers at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, smashing 101 runs with seven fours and 11 sixes to power the Royals to a 210-run chase in just 16 overs.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri recalled how even Australian great Matthew Hayden couldn’t believe the youngster’s age.
‘I was on air in Jaipur, and by the ninth over, he had reached his hundred,' Shastri said on the Willow Talk show on the LiSTNR Sport podcast.
‘He was hitting Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma 10 rows back over extra cover and midwicket. Haydos said, ‘Oh, he can’t be 14,’ and I had to calm him down.’
Shastri also emphasised the importance of guidance for a prodigy at such a young age.
‘This is the toughest period for him. He’s made such an impression so young, much like Sachin did. In the next 2-3 years, someone needs to guide him. Expectations are sky-high, and it can go to your head. He needs to learn that failure is part of the game and embrace it. That’s when he’ll grow.’
He added a note on the technical side, ‘If this guy is already that good, there’s no reason he can’t be asked to play four-day cricket. It will teach him to defend, tighten his technique, and figure out which bowlers to attack and which to respect. That balance is what will make him truly world-class.’