In a record-breaking night for Indian cricket, 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals etched his name into history by becoming the youngest player to score a century in T20 cricket — and the Indian Premier League (IPL) — during a stunning display against Gujarat Titans in Jaipur.
At just 14 years and 32 days old, the left-hander produced an extraordinary innings, hammering 101 runs off just 38 balls, including seven boundaries and 11 sixes, at an astonishing strike rate of 265.79.
His century, achieved in only 35 deliveries, is the second-fastest in IPL history behind Chris Gayle’s iconic 30-ball hundred in 2013. Suryavanshi now holds the record as the fastest Indian to reach a century in IPL history.
His knock powered Rajasthan Royals to a commanding victory in their 210-run chase, chasing the target down in just 15.5 overs. Alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal (70* off 40 balls), Suryavanshi put on a breathtaking 166-run partnership — the highest ever for any wicket for Rajasthan Royals, surpassing the previous record set by Jos Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal in 2022.
The cricketing world reacted with awe to Suryavanshi’s performance. Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar praised the young sensation’s “fearless approach, bat speed, and ability to pick length early.”
“Vaibhav’s fearless approach, bat speed, picking the length early, and transferring the energy behind the ball was the recipe behind a fabulous innings. Well played!!”
Tendulkar wrote on social media.
India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav also lauded the innings, describing it as “absolutely insane.”
Former Rajasthan Royals star Yusuf Pathan, whose record for the fastest IPL century by an Indian was broken, offered heartfelt congratulations.
“Many congratulations to young Vaibhav Suryavanshi for breaking my record! Even more special to see it happen while playing for Rajasthan Royals, just like I did.
There’s truly something magical about this franchise for youngsters,”
Pathan said.
Former World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh also chimed in, praising Suryavanshi’s fearless attitude.
“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!”
Vaibhav’s feat shattered the previous record held by Vijay Zol, who scored a T20 century at 18 years and 118 days. It also ranked as the seventh-fastest century in T20 cricket globally, with the fastest being Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan’s 27-ball ton against Cyprus in 2024.
This meteoric rise has not come out of nowhere. Born on March 27, 2011, in Bihar, Suryavanshi had already made headlines by debuting in first-class cricket for Bihar at just 12 years and 284 days. He starred for India U19s against Australia with a 58-ball century and performed strongly in the ACC U19 Asia Cup, finishing among the tournament’s top scorers.
During last year’s IPL mega-auction, Rajasthan Royals surprised many by securing Suryavanshi’s services for Rs 1.1 crore. Since making his IPL debut earlier this season, he has amassed 151 runs in three matches at an average of 75.50 and a blistering strike rate of 222.05.
Monday’s match saw Gujarat Titans post a formidable 209/4, thanks to skipper Shubman Gill’s 84 off 50 balls and Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 50. Rajasthan Royals’ bowlers, led by Maheesh Theekshana (2/35), faced a stern challenge.
However, Suryavanshi’s fearless batting display turned the game on its head. From the moment he smashed his very first ball in the IPL for six against Shardul Thakur earlier in the season, Vaibhav had shown a glimpse of the extraordinary. Against Gujarat, he fulfilled that promise spectacularly.
Former West Indies star Ian Bishop summed up the mood best:
“14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi has bludgeoned an IPL century off 35 deliveries. Remarkable.”
Rajasthan Royals now sit eighth on the IPL table with three wins and seven losses, while Gujarat Titans remain in third place.
As Kris Srikkanth aptly put it:
“At 14, most kids dream and eat ice cream. Vaibhav Suryavanshi delivers a fabulous hundred against one of IPL’s top sides. Indian cricket’s next superstar is here.”
For cricket fans across India and the world, Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s historic innings has provided a new reason to believe in the power and promise of the next generation.
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