In a remarkable feat for cricket, young Vaibhav Suryavanshi has etched his name into the record books as the youngest player to score a century in men’s T20 cricket. The 14-year-old sensation accomplished this during an IPL 2025 match playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Jaipur, crafting a blistering hundred off just 35 balls. This performance came in only his third match in the tournament.
Suryavanshi’s century is now the second-fastest in IPL history, just behind Chris Gayle’s 30-ball century for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2013. Additionally, it is the quickest by an Indian in the league, surpassing Yusuf Pathan’s 37-ball effort from 2010, which was also the previous fastest for Rajasthan Royals.
He reached this milestone with a powerful six off Rashid Khan, who had stepped in as captain for GT due to Shubman Gill’s injury. Prior to this, Suryavanshi dominated a 30-run over against Afghanistan’s Karim Janat, who was making his IPL debut. The young batsman struck 94 of his 101 runs in boundaries alone, including 11 sixes to equal the most by an Indian in an IPL innings. He scored these runs against an experienced bowling attack of seven international players.
Reflecting on his performance, Suryavanshi said: “It feels really good. It was my first century in the IPL in my third innings. What I’ve been practicing for the last three-four months, the result is showing. I don’t see the ground so much, just focus on the ball.” His teammate, Yashasvi Jaiswal, supported him at the opposite end, finishing unbeaten on 70 and guiding the team to victory with captain Riyan Parag.
Vikram Rathour, RR’s batting coach, praised the young player: “He’s got a great downswing… So that helps him generate this kind of power. And today, he just showed everybody actually how good he is.”
Suryavanshi was also a surprise addition, stepping in after Sanju Samson’s injury. The young prodigy was picked up by Rajasthan Royals for INR 1.10 crore after showcasing his potential in the youth circuit, including a 58-ball century against Australia Under-19s and two fifties in the Under-19 Asia Cup earlier in the year. Riyan Parag reflected, “It was incredible,” recognising the promise displayed throughout their preparations.
Assuming Samson’s spot due to an abdominal injury, Suryavanshi managed scores of 34, 16, and now 101 in his initial IPL appearances, showing a glimpse of a bright future in cricket.
