Vaibhav Suryavanshi has become the talk of the cricketing world after smashing a record-breaking century for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025. At just 14 years old, the prodigious talent has etched his name in history as the youngest centurion not just in IPL, but in all of T20 cricket. His journey from the auction room to the playing field has been nothing short of a fairytale.
During last year’s two-day IPL mega auction, Vaibhav made headlines by becoming the youngest player to land a contract, earning a ₹1.1 crore deal with RR. His debut couldn’t have been more dramatic.
Filling in for an injured Sanju Samson against the Lucknow Super Giants, Vaibhav announced his arrival by smashing a six off the very first ball he faced, against none other than seasoned India pacer Shardul Thakur. But the fireworks didn’t stop there. In a later match against Gujarat Titans, he scored a blistering 35-ball century—the fastest by an Indian in IPL history.
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Cricket legends have taken notice. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly met the youngster at Eden Gardens during RR’s clash with Kolkata Knight Riders. According to India Today, Ganguly offered him a simple but powerful piece of advice: stay fearless. “I have seen your game. Play the way you play fearless cricket. There is no need to change your game,” Sourav Ganguly reportedly told the teen.
RR head coach Rahul Dravid echoed similar sentiments, emphasising the importance of letting Vaibhav enjoy his cricket without being burdened by expectations.
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“You don’t want to confuse him with too many things. Let him keep it simple and enjoy himself. He clearly enjoys positive cricket, and we want to create an environment where he can express that freely,” said Dravid.
Vaibhav, who draws inspiration from Brian Lara, currently plays domestic cricket for Bihar and continues to dazzle with every opportunity.
