After the Rajasthan Royals played against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, May 4, former Indian team captain Sourav Ganguly offered encouraging words to 14-year-old cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi following their encounter on the pitch. Ganguly advised the young player to continue playing with his characteristic fearlessness.
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Sources indicate that Ganguly stated, “I’ve observed your gameplay. Continue playing fearlessly as you do. You don’t need to alter your approach.” Noticing the young player’s hefty bat, Ganguly commended his capability for hitting powerful shots, mentioning, “He possesses great strength. Although he didn’t score during the KKR match, he is indeed an excellent player.”
Vaibhav Suryavanshi failed to make a significant impact on the scoreboard, with the prodigy being sent off after scoring only 4 runs.
Rajasthan’s agonizing one-run loss to the Knight Riders
Nevertheless, the youngster has caught everyone’s attention with his batting performances in IPL 2025.
Suryavanshi created history in the IPL
By achieving the feat as the most youthful player to hit a century, the 14-year-old, playing for the Rajasthan Royals, blasted 101 runs from only 38 deliveries versus the Gujarat Titans in April. This included an impressive tally of 11 sixes and 7 boundaries. His bold approach at bat has garnered admiration from both cricket icons and enthusiasts around the world.
His path to fame started at the age of nine when he enrolled in a cricket academy in Samastipur.
training with ex-Ranji cricket player Manish Ojha
His skills secured him a spot on the Rajasthan Royals squad for IPL 2025, making his first appearance at merely 14 years and 23 days of age, thus setting a record as the youngest player to debut in IPL history.
Apart from being the youngest player to hit a century in men’s T20 cricket, Suryavanshi set the record for the second-quickest century in IPL history with an astounding knock of 101 runs off just 38 deliveries. Renowned for his powerful batting, this historic inning included 11 towering sixes and 7 precise boundaries, cementing his status as one of the most promising emerging stars in the sport.
Drawing inspiration from the iconic Brian Lara, Vaibhav exhibits a distinctive high bat lift similar to that seen in the swings of Yuvraj Singh and Ganguly. Purchased for an impressive INR 1.1 crores, this young talent debuted in the Ranji Trophy for Bihar when he was just 12 years old. He further showcased his prowess by scoring a century in a recent under-19 test match against Australia held in Chennai.
Many individuals, such as the head coach of Rajasthan, have emphasized the significance of Indian cricket stakeholders working together to support the young player who has just turned 14. Dravid appealed to the press and supporters alike to maintain balance with their commendation and critique as Vaibhav experiences the peaks and valleys inherent in sports.
After scoring a century against Gujarat, Vaibhav was out for two consecutive low scores—a duck against Mumbai Indians and four runs against KKR.
