14-Year-Old Vaibhav Suryavanshi Makes Dream IPL Debut with Rajasthan Royals
In the grand theatre of Indian Premier League 2025 where stars are born and legends reaffirm their aura, a 14-year-old boy from Bihar stepped into the limelight on Saturday night — not with hesitation, but with a six off the very first ball he faced. The name: Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Representing Rajasthan Royals in Match No. 36 of IPL 2025, the southpaw from Bihar scripted a debut that left even seasoned cricket followers stunned, and in some cases, inspired. In front of a packed Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, and under floodlights that have often swallowed up bigger names, the teenager played like a veteran of the format.
In just 20 balls, he racked up 34 runs, including 2 fours and 3 sixes, providing Rajasthan Royals with a brisk start that would shape the rest of their innings. While his knock ended in the 9th over, his calm presence, sharp footwork, and fearless approach set social media buzzing — and brought a wide smile to the face of Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) president Rakesh Tiwari.
Speaking to local reporters soon after the game, Tiwari’s voice carried pride — but more than that, belief.
"I’m extremely happy with Vaibhav’s batting today. I’ve always had faith that whenever he gets a chance, he will make it count. This is just the beginning," he said, pausing deliberately, as if to let the words sink in.
"I truly believe Vaibhav will be one of the biggest names in Indian cricket in the coming years."
For the record books, Vaibhav is now the youngest player to debut in IPL history, breaking the previous record held by RCB’s Prayas Ray Barman, who debuted at 16 in 2019. At just 14 years of age, Suryavanshi’s presence on the big stage is the culmination of a year where the prodigy shattered records at will.
At last year’s IPL auction, Rajasthan Royals secured the then-13-year-old for ₹1.1 crore, making him the youngest-ever buy in the tournament’s history. Since then, Vaibhav has done everything to justify the hype — and perhaps even exceed it.
Born on March 27, 2011, in Bihar, Vaibhav became the youngest to play first-class cricket for his state in January 2024 at just 12 years and 284 days. He didn’t stop there. In his debut List-A outing during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 71 off 42 balls against Baroda, setting a national record for the youngest Indian to score a List-A half-century.
His meteoric rise continued at the international level. A rapid 58-ball century in a Youth Test match made him the record holder for the fastest hundred in that category for India. He followed it up with two match-winning fifties in the ACC U19 Asia Cup, guiding India into the final and displaying a maturity well beyond his years.
There is talent, and then there is temperament. Vaibhav Suryavanshi, as Saturday night reminded us, has both in abundance. Whether he fulfills the lofty predictions remains to be seen. But if you ask BCA chief Rakesh Tiwari, or the many who watched the young left-hander bat with the flair of Yuvraj and the calm of Dhoni, they’ll tell you — the journey has only just begun.