Last Updated:
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 14, debuted for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025. He led India to an Under-19 World Cup win and aims to break Chris Gayle’s IPL record of 175 runs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with Rahul Dravid
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a rare talent that Indian cricket has ever witnessed. He is just 14 but smashes the opponents like a pro. Right from IPL 2025, when he made his debut for Rajasthan Royals, he has been grabbing attention for his attacking style of batting. The batting prodigy has recently won the Under-19 World Cup for India and will be back in action for the Royals in a couple of weeks.
Speaking at the BCCI Naman Awards, Sooryavanshi recalled his conversation with former RR head coach Rahu Dravid before making his debut. The teenager played his first game against the Lucknow Super Giants at the age of 13, becoming the youngest player to make an IPL debut.
Recalling the conversation with Dravid, Sooryavanshi said, “Rahul sir asked me what’s your plan. I said, if I get the ball in my arc, I will hit.”
Sanju Samson, the former RR skipper who has now shifted base to CSK, interrupted the young batter and narrated the entire conversation.
“Rahul sir called him to the meeting room. He told me, ‘Sanju, we need to talk to him, he is a very young kind. We need to tell him how to go about it.’ So, Rahul sir asked him, ‘Vaibhav, what’s your plan?’
“He said, ‘Sir hum to khelenge.’ But sir asked, what was the plan. Then he said, ‘Sir, humein pehla milega to hum pehla hi uda denge. (If I get to hit the first ball, I will). That’s exactly what he did. I said, ‘Ye to alag video game mien khel raha hai (He was playing as if he was in some video game),” Sanju said.
Sooryavanshi smashed his maiden IPL hundred against the Gujarat Titans. He took just three innings to record his maiden IPL century, which is the quickest by an Indian, off 35 balls. Manish Pandey, Paul Valthaty and Priyansh Arya took four innings each to do so.
“I just want to win the trophy this year. The preparation has been good so far. And looking forward to it,” Suryavanshi said when asked about his objective in the upcoming season.
The 14-year-old eyes to break Chris Gayle’s record of the highest individual score of 175 in IPL. “I wish to break that record,” he said.
March 15, 2026, 21:28 IST
Read More
