NEW DELHI:“Aisa kabhi hua hai, aapne pehle hi ball pe chakka maara ho?” [Has it ever happened that you hit a six on the very first ball?] – this was the innocent, yet striking, question young Vaibhav Suryavanshi posed to a teammate just days before making his IPL debut. Who would have thought that a youngster would probe such a question. Maybe it was an insight into the mind of the 14-year-old?
The match was against the Lucknow Super Giants. One of India’s finest bowlers, Avesh Khan, had the ball in hand. Yashasvi Jaiswal took the strike, nudged a single, and handed over the stage to Suryavanshi. What followed was straight out of a dream — the 14-year-old launched the very first ball of his IPL career for a six, announcing his arrival with a bang.
Did he manifest it? Maybe. Was it a fluke? Possibly. But let’s move to another telling moment.
It’s 10 am on Monday, April 28th. Suryavanshi wakes up and makes his first call — to his childhood coach Manish Ojha. After a few exchanges about footwork and technique, Suryavanshi confidently tells him, “Sir, aaj mai marunga” (Sir, today I will smash the bowlers).
“Maarna, par wicket mat de dena. Itminaan se khelna, Yashasvi se baat karte rehna [Hit (the ball), but don’t lose your wicket. Play calmly, keep talking to Yashasvi],” the coach said.
Who’s that IPL player?
In the evening, Suryavanshi padded up, left the dugout, exchanged a fist bump with Yashasvi — and the rest, as they say, is history.
The young boy’s manifestation once again came true.
The 14-year-old prodigy from Samastipur, Bihar, blazed his way to a sensational 38-ball 101, becoming the youngest centurion in IPL history at just 14 years and 32 days.
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In a breathtaking assault at a packed Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, Suryavanshi hammered 11 sixes and 7 fours, dismantling an attack featuring international stars like Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Rashid Khan and Karim Janat.
While the crowd grew hoarse from endless cheering, Suryavanshi showed no signs of slowing down, making a mockery of some of the world’s best bowlers.
The left-hander brought up his century off just 35 balls against Gujarat Titans, prompting a heartwarming moment — an injured Rahul Dravid, India’s ex-coach, rose from his wheelchair, fists pumping in celebration. Dravid cheered with uncontained joy, savouring the historic moment crafted by the young opener.
“Ye bola tha maarunga. But pata nahi tha aise maarega [He had said he would hit it. But I didn’t know he would hit it like that]. I had an instinct that something big was going to happen, but honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this big. He is a God-gifted cricketer. He’s just a kid — only 14 years old. God has blessed him with immense talent. I am really thankful to God that I could play some part in his career,” coach Ojha said.
“He always says that Rajasthan Royals have given him a huge platform, and he is determined to work hard, play well, and give his best. His ultimate dream is to play for India. He is just 14. The great Sachin Tendulkar made his ODI debut at 16, and I am sure Vaibhav is on the right path. With a legend like Rahul Dravid guiding him, he doesn’t have to worry about anything,” the coach said.
