Shattering Records in His Teens!
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is now a household name! His batting pyrotechnics and ability to deflate an opposition in a matter of overs has been witnessed by everyone during the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League. What’s important to note is that when he was picked in the auction, he was just 13!
Fast-forward a few months, he’s rubbing shoulders with the big boys with his baby face, training amongst international players and meeting records holders and world-beaters in cricket.
On Monday, April 28, 2025, he rewrote history and left a mark in the IPL! The youngest person to make a T20 ton and the second-fastest IPL ton by any batsman in this league… Not bad for someone in his teens, isn’t it?
With the license to go ballistic from ball one and the solid backing of Rahul Dravid, who was informed about his talent by VVS Laxman in the U-19 Challenger Tournament, Rajasthan Royals, the IPL franchise, have just unleashed a sensational talent who has a clear mind and plays his shots at will!
One must applaud the team management for having given him time to acclimatise to the Big Boys’ League and throned him with the opening slot, providing him with the prime overs of a T20 game to explore his true game, take the game head-on, and annihilate any threat of the opposition bowlers.
Vaibhav has repaid the faith that the franchise has placed in him, and to watch an injured Rahul Dravid throw his arms in the air as Vaibhav hoicked the talismanic Afghan bowler Rashid Khan for a six was a priceless moment. Many cricket pundits have hailed this knock as one of the best T20 performances ever!
While arguments continue about the performances by legends in the past versus a young kid finding his feet in the franchise and international cricket, we must applaud the mental space and clean hitting that Vaibhav displayed.
The game has just unearthed another star in cricket, and he can serve for decades, considering how age is with him. However, Vaibhav needs to stay grounded, respect the game and not be starstruck by the riches and games associated with T20 leagues and international cricket. That’s where the tutelage by Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman (U-19 and Youth Cricket) will come in handy!
For now, we will let young Vaibhav revel in the glory of what he has achieved in his early teens and what’s possibly in store for him in domestic and international cricket! A debut international game, perhaps?
With the brand of cricket that’s being played these days, especially in the white ball formats, the sky is the limit, or wait, maybe there are no limits when talented folks are brimming with confidence.
Play on, Vaibhav! All the best for the rest of this season, and the many more matches that will feature you in your prime.
Play fair, stay grounded, achieve amazing feats on the ground, and most importantly, make your parents and family members proud. God bless!
