Vaibhav Suryavanshi spared no bowler, be it Ishant Sharma, a veteran of 105 Tests and 116 IPL games, or IPL debutant Karim Jannat, as he brought up the second fastest IPL century off just 35 balls.
In a display of raw power and audacious stroke play, Rajasthan Royals’ 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi tore into the Gujarat Titans bowling attack with a scintillating knock during which multiple records fell by the wayside in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday.
The brutal assault by the baby-faced assassin powered RR to an eight-wicket win over highflying Titans as they chased down the target of 210 with 25 balls to spare to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Bludgeoning 101 off just 38 balls, the immensely talented teenager sent the ball soaring to all corners of the ground, peppering the boundary with ruthless efficiency to become the youngest to score a T20 hundred.
The innings, laced with eleven towering sixes and seven sparkling fours, came at a strike rate hovering well above 265 and turned the tide of the match in dramatic fashion.
With impeccable timing and fearless aggression, the youngster, bought by RR for Rs 1.10 crore (Rs 11 million) at the mega auction, dismantled even the most seasoned bowlers, turning the 200-plus chase into a cakewalk.
The Sixer Club
Whether it was the audacious cuts, the booming cover drive, or the thunderous pull shot, every stroke oozed confidence. He spared no bowler, be it Ishant Sharma, a veteran of 105 Tests and 116 IPL games, or IPL debutant Karim Jannat, as he brought up the second fastest IPL century off just 35 balls.
As the crowd erupted with each maximum and commentators waxed eloquent about his amazing set of skills, the Bihar lad looked unstoppable.
Walking in with nerves of steel and a cool head, the southpaw once again got off the mark with a maximum, tonking Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj over long-on for a 90-metre six.
On his IPL debut exactly eight days ago against Lucknow Super Giants, he had hit a six off the first ball he faced, with Shardul Thakur, another Indian international, at the receiving end on that occasion.
Fastest Ton by Innings
Despite being stumped out for 34 runs of 20 balls in his first outing, his performance showcased his potential and talent. In the next match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he started off well, hitting a couple of sixes before being bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, scoring 16 off 12 balls.
RR would have been eliminated from the playoff contention had they lost to GT, but the teenager rose to the occasion with the poise of a seasoned veteran, stitching a 166-run first-wicket partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal to make short work of a daunting target.
In fact, Suryavanshi made his senior partner look like a bystander throughout the innings. After the match, Jaiswal said he enjoyed the youngster’s knock and termed it one of the best he has ever watched.
What made the innings more special was the fact that it came against arguably the most complete bowling attack in IPL 2025, featuring the likes of Siraj, Ishant, Prasidh Krishna, Rashid Khan, and Washington Sundar.
Ishant made his IPL debut even before Suryavanshi was born, but the youngster launched into the veteran pacer with utter disdain, smacking him for 28 runs in an over with three sixes and two boundaries, leaving the bowler rattled.
He raced away to his maiden IPL 50 off just 17 balls, reaching the landmark by lofting Sundar over extra cover for a boundary. In the process, he shattered three records. Apart from being the youngest ever to score a half-century in IPL, it was the fastest fifty in IPL 2025 as well as the fastest against GT.
Taking a Hit
Suryavanshi’s diverse repertoire of strokes was on full display in the 10th over bowled by Afghan bowling all-rounder Jannat: a flick over deep square leg for a six, a top-edged boundary through the vacant area near the backward point, a stunning six off a low full-toss over deep mid-wicket, a mighty slash over the ‘keeper’s head for four, an exquisitely driven boundary through long-on, and heave off a slower-ball off-cutter for a maximum over deep mid-wicket.
He plundered 30 runs off that over as Jannat registered an unwanted record to his name by bowling the most expensive first over in the IPL.
Interestingly, Jannat had conceded 36 runs in an over in an India vs Afghanistan T20I at Bengaluru in January 2024, with Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh smashing five sixes, including a no-ball six, and a four in the final over of the innings.
Suryavanshi completed his century in the 11th over, bowled by Rashid, depositing the wily leggie into the stands behind the deep mid-wicket boundary as the entire stadium, and even the wheel-chair bound Rahul Dravid stood up to applaud the youngster.
The breathtaking innings has left fans and cricketing legends alike in awe.
Vaibhav’s fearless approach, bat speed, picking the length early, and transferring the energy behind the ball was the recipe behind a fabulous innings. End result: 101 runs off 38 balls. 'Well played!!, posted the legendary Sachin Tendulkar on X.
Fastest Hundreds
“He is only a child but how would you ever know once he puts that helmet on! This is a staggering performance and a grand announcement,” broadcaster Harsha Bhogle commented.
“Superstar Vaibhav Suryavanshi. More power to you youngster,” said former India international Harbhajan Singh.
With this remarkable performance, Suryavanshi not only guided his team to a convincing win but also announced himself as the future of world cricket. As the cricketing world wakes up to a new superstar, one thing is certain — a legend may just have begun his journey!
Photographs: BCCI
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