Teenager Sooryavanshi hits the 2nd fastest IPL century, just behind veteran Chris Gayle

Jaipur: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 14 year IPL colt posted the second fastest  century (35 ball)   in the IPL  format.  Samastipur born Vaibhav plays for Bihar in  domestic cricket and just debuted for Rajasthan Royals this season,  confident and exuberant he  hit 7 fours and 11 sixes playing  his 3rd match in IPL 2025.in  Sawai Mansingh Stadium here.  His coach  Manish Ojha  recounted the  sacrifice his parents made  for boosting his cricketing career, when they sold their family   land near Patna.  The youngster who travelled 100 km to  join coaching sessions  every alternative day, started his  training at 9 years’  tender  age, reaching at 7.30 a.m. and practising  till late in the evenings,  tells his jubilant coach. 

Suryavanshi was teaming up with another batting prodigy  Yashasvi Jaiswal who hit a 70 not out in the match to peg a target of 210 for Gujarat Titans. The latter lost the match 25 balls short of 20 overs game. It was RR’s 3rd win out of 10 outings in this IPL T-20.

While most veterans  showered  sweet words of praise on Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s  rise as the future cricketing  diva,  the hard-hitter opener  Virender Sehwag  and  veteran Ravi Shastri  added  words of caution,  advising him not to be swayed with the name  and  fame  he might get in the near future.  Handling pressure and limelight is a challenging thing for elite athletes.  Former all-rounder,  head-coach and commentator  Ravi Shastri, who had hit 6-sixes  in an over in a Ranji match,   praising him for first ball six on IPL  debut,  cautioned him  to  be ready for ups and downs of the game and face both  with  a positive spirit. (He was surely underlining the tears Suryavanshi  displayed on being dismissed  at  34 and 16 in  the earlier matches).

On fastest  IPL  centuries, earlier,  West Indian  Chris Gayle had hit 30 ball hundred in 2013 for RCB against  Pune Warriers and Yusuf Pathan hit a 37 ball   century for  Rajasthan Royals against Mumbai Indians. in 2010.

(pics credit-Sajjad Hussain via Getty Images-not for commercial use).