NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals’ 14-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi stole the show on Monday with a breathtaking 101 off just 38 balls against Gujarat Titans at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. In an innings studded with 11 sixes and seven fours, the teenager shattered multiple records and led the Royals to a commanding eight-wicket win with 25 balls to spare.
Chasing a daunting target of 210, Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal (unbeaten on 70 off 40 balls) put on a whirlwind 166-run opening stand in just 11.5 overs, dismantling a Titans attack boasting Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma, Prasidh Krishna, Rashid Khan, and Sai Kishore.
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The highlight was Suryavanshi’s 35-ball century, making him the youngest player to score a hundred in senior T20 cricket at just 14 years and 32 days. He surpassed Maharashtra’s Vijay Zol, who previously held the record at 18 years and 118 days. Suryavanshi also became the fastest Indian to an IPL century, breaking Yusuf Pathan’s 37-ball record set in 2010.
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Suryavanshi’s blitz made a mockery of the chase and ensured the Royals’ slim playoff hopes remained alive. They climbed to eighth place with six points, while Gujarat Titans slipped to third after suffering their third defeat in nine games.
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Earlier, Shubman Gill’s 50-ball 84 and Jos Buttler’s 26-ball unbeaten 50 had set up what seemed a formidable total for the Titans. However, once Suryavanshi started launching balls into the stands, there was little the Titans could do to stem the onslaught.
“His hitting was tremendous,” said Titans skipper Gill after the match. Jaiswal, the Royals’ senior opener, summed it up simply: “Incredible, one of the best innings I have seen. I just told him to keep going.”
While India has seen prodigies fade under the weight of early fame, Suryavanshi’s rare talent is a gift that needs careful nurturing. It will be interesting to see what is in store in the next chapter of this extraordinary story.
