Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, smashes 35-ball century to rewrite IPL history

In a tournament built on dreams and drama, few moments have sparkled quite like this. On a charged Jaipur night, 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi etched his name into IPL folklore, hammering a breathtaking 35-ball century — the second-fastest in the league’s history — and becoming its youngest-ever centurion.

Chasing 210 against Gujarat Titans, Rajasthan Royals’ wunderkind launched spinner Rashid Khan over midwicket at exactly 10:30 p.m., completing a century at just 14 years and 32 days old. Watching from the dugout, head coach Rahul Dravid — recovering from injury and wheelchair-bound — was so moved that he leapt to his feet, applauding an innings destined for legend.

Suryavanshi's unbeaten 101 off 38 deliveries, laced with seven fours and 11 towering sixes, powered Rajasthan to a crushing win in just 15.5 overs. His performance not only stunned the Titans but sent ripples through Indian cricket circles.

Born in Samastipur, Bihar, Suryavanshi grew up idolizing Brian Lara, often binge-watching the West Indian maestro’s videos. On Monday, he showcased similar flair and fearlessness. From the moment he smashed Mohammed Siraj for a 90-metre six to get off the mark, to dismantling veteran Ishant Sharma with three sixes and two boundaries in a single over, Suryavanshi batted like a force of nature.

His game might still be developing — his power hitting largely confined to arcs between long-on and square leg, and covers to long-off — but what he lacks in range, he makes up with ferocious ball-striking and an early reading of length. Against both pace and spin, especially Washington Sundar and Rashid Khan, Suryavanshi showed unflinching aggression, sending anything remotely hittable into the stands.

"Be it fast bowlers or spinners, I love to hit them," the young prodigy had said in an earlier interview. True to his word, he kept it simple: “If the ball is there to be hit, hit it. Don’t be in two minds.”

Former India selector and World Cup winner Krishnamachari Srikkanth captured the mood, posting on X:

"At 14, most kids dream & eat ice cream. Vaibhav Suryavanshi delivers a fabulous 100 against one of IPL’s best! Composure, class, and courage beyond his years. We are witnessing the rise of a phenom. Indian cricket’s next superstar is here."

While Suryavanshi had made waves last year by scoring a century against Australia Under-19 at just 13, this — against seasoned IPL professionals — was a different stage altogether.

His journey, though, has been anything but ordinary. His father, Sanjeev Suryavanshi, once worked as a bouncer, managed toilets, and toiled at Mumbai’s docks to support the family. Fuelled by a dream to see his son become a cricketer, Sanjeev built a homemade net facility in their backyard and even hired locals to bowl to Vaibhav for meals, ensuring relentless practice.

In mentor Manish Ojha, Vaibhav found another guiding light. "Frankly, the boy is gifted. He’s three to four years ahead of his peers," Ojha said. "He absorbs lessons quickly and spends endless hours in the nets to make it muscle memory."

On April 28 night, years of backyard drills, endless net sessions, and an unbreakable belief collided in a performance that lit up Jaipur — and perhaps, heralded the dawn of a new cricketing era.