Indian cricket has often been defined by young talents who dared to play without fear, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi is the latest name to carry that reputation forward. The 14-year-old batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi from Bihar has already shaken the cricketing world with record-breaking feats in the IPL and India’s youth circuit.
The youngest cricketer in IPL history, Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the face of the broadcaster’s “Gen Bold vs Gen Gold” campaign — a symbolic generational clash between fearless youth and seasoned legends. It was perhaps poetic that Rajasthan were playing their final group-stage game against Chennai Super Kings — the epitome of that generational clash between a 14 year old sensation and 43-year experienced Talisman MS Dhoni.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi ended his debut IPL season with 252 runs from 7 matches at a staggering strike-rate of 206.56 and an average of 36. Those are not just promising rookie numbers — they’re the kind of stats that demand long-term investment.
However still with Vaibhav Suryavanshi making waves under the tutelage of India’s T20 World Cup winning coach Rahul Dravid on his return to Rajasthan Royals, the IPL campaign of Rajasthan Royals in 2025 could be said as a chance of missed opportunities as they finished just above 10th placed Chennai Super Kings at the ninth position .
The teenager’s breakout moment came during IPL 2025, where he became the youngest player ever to score a century in the league. Representing Rajasthan Royals, Suryavanshi smashed a jaw-dropping 101 off 38 deliveries against Gujarat Titans. His hundred came in just 35 balls, making it the fastest by an Indian in IPL history and the second-fastest overall.
Across the season, he accumulated 252 runs at a strike rate of over 200, earning the “Super Striker of the Season” award. For a player barely in his teens, these numbers were extraordinary and placed him immediately in conversations about India’s T20 future.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s rise has not been limited to franchise cricket. On India’s U-19 tour of England, he dominated the opposition bowling, scoring 355 runs in the ODI series. His knock of 143 off 78 balls was the highlight, followed by a blistering 86 off just 31 deliveries in another game. He ended as the leading run-scorer of the series and impressed coaches with his shot selection, confidence, and ability to accelerate at will. Now, former India star Suresh Raina has openly backed him for a place in the senior national T20I side.
Suresh Raina supports fearless Vaibhav Suryavanshi to make his T20I debut before Ayush Mhatre
India and Chennai Super Kings star Suresh Raina has said Rajasthan Royals’ teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi will break into the Indian T20I team soon. Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel on Friday, Raina heaped praise on the 14-year-old opener’s fearless approach and his recent performances in both the IPL and U-19 series against England. Raina further compared Suryavanshi to players like Rishabh Pant and Rinku Singh.
“Vaibhav Suryavanshi. His fearless approach is different. Mhatre is also good, but Vaibhav has X-factor; such talents are rare. He recently scored a ton in England and scored a century in the IPL. It shows this player from Bihar proves – ek Bihari sab pe bhari (One from Bihar is heavier than all)… Nobody knew Samastipur… A player from a village showed his potential,” said Raina.
“There was a coach from Bihar who told me that he looked after him. Such players come once in a century, whether it’s Rishabh Pant, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, or Rinku Singh… Ayush Mhtare, at the age of 17, right from the very first match [for CSK], whatever he has done [has been impressive],” he added.
Raina was also impressed with the 17-year-old Ayush, who scored 240 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 188.97 for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025. Mhatre recently impressed in youth Tests against England’s U19 team, scoring centuries in Beckenham and Chelmsford.
For Raina, who himself was once India’s youngest T20I captain, Suryavanshi’s story resonates strongly. He believes that the selectors should fast-track him, just as the likes of Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh were trusted at a young age.
With India constantly looking to refresh their T20I squad, Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s blend of flair, power, and temperament makes him a serious contender. If his current trajectory continues, the teenager could soon be wearing national colours and carrying forward the fearless brand of cricket that legends like Raina have long championed.
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