The adjectives came thick and fast: “remarkable,” “mind-blowing,” “other-worldly,” “unprecedented,” “exceptional.” Yet nothing could have truly prepared the cricket world for what unfolded on Monday night in Jaipur during IPL 2025. A 14-year-old kid, facing seasoned professionals with years of top-level experience, delivered a performance so astonishing that even Ian Bishop – a man who has witnessed more cricket than most – admitted, “It’s hard to really speak logic to this.”
The Record-Breaking Knock
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, a 14-year-old from Bihar, who turned 14 after the start of this IPL, faced a bowling attack including Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, Karim Janat, and R Sai Kishore – collectively holding 694 international caps. Despite this, Suryavanshi smashed them for an explosive 101 runs off 38 balls. This innings was not only the second-fastest century in IPL history but also a testament to his extraordinary power and composure under pressure.
Unveiling the Talent
The cricket world might have been shocked, but Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) batting coach Vikram Rathour had been watching the young star closely for months. Suryavanshi had joined RR after a remarkable INR 1.1 crore auction buy, and Rathour was well aware of the talent he had in his ranks.
“We have been watching it in [the] nets the last few months. So we knew what he was capable of and what kind of shots he can play,” Rathour said after RR chased down 210 against Gujarat Titans (GT) with 25 balls to spare. “But to do it in front of this kind of crowd and in a situation like this, against a really good bowling attack, was really special.”
Suryavanshi’s Rise
Rathour recalled the first time he saw Suryavanshi during the trials about four months ago, where it became evident that they had found something special. “It was up to us to nurture him and bring him to this level,” said Rathour. “Credit to him, he kept his nerve, he has a solid head on his shoulders, and he has showed what he is capable of.”
Ian Bishop’s Reaction
Even former cricketer Ian Bishop, who has seen a lot in the game, was left searching for words. During ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show, Bishop spoke about the shift in Indian cricket culture: “They are allowing young players to come in, most franchises, and be free, be fearless, ‘don’t worry about your failure’, and that’s a big shift in Indian cricket, with guys like Yashasvi Jaiswal and others. A few generations ago, ‘play properly, you get two failures [and] you’re gone’. Now it’s a different culture.”
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