Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 29 (ANI): When one witnesses the prestigious Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy in its full glory, the phrase in Sanskrit 'Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi' (Where talent meets opportunity) often catches the eye, making long-time fans to roll back the clock over all its editions, which have led to an explosion of talent in Indian cricket.

Over the years, IPL has helped several Indian stars break down that one final door to Indian team selection, be it boy wonders like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal or late bloomers like Suryakumar Yadav. Irrespective of age, state and experience, the IPL grind continues to pay off, enriching India's roster for the future. This could very well hold true for a 14 year, 33 days old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who slammed the fastest century by an Indian in IPL history and became T20s' youngest centurion ever during the match against Gujarat Titans (GT) at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Monday. During the match, he smashed a quickfire 101 in just 38 balls, consisting of seven fours and 11 sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 265.79.

Six days old when a gigantic six from MS Dhoni brought back the 50-over glory home back in 2011, Vaibhav has been about breaking records since the start. It has been his second nature. He is a boy younger than the IPL itself, with the competition on the verge of entering its fourth season when he was born.

Rising through Bihar and age-group cricket, one of Vaibhav's first notable experiences was in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy back in October 2023, India's premier U19 one-day cricket tournament, where he top-scored for Bihar with 393 runs in five matches, including a century and three half-centuries at an average of 78.60 and strike rate of over 109.

He also featured in India B U19 team in a quadrangular series in Mulapadu, Andhra Pradesh in November 2023. The tournament also featured an India A side alongside Bangladesh and England's U19 sides and was aimed at picking India's final squad for the ICC U19 World Cup 2024. However, scores of 41, 0, and 8 were not quite enough to earn him a spot on the team that reached the World Cup finals, as per Olympics.com.

However, while playing in the U23 camp for Bihar, Suryavanshi impressed and earned his first-class debut for Bihar during the Ranji Trophy in January 2024, against Mumbai. Aged 12 years and 284 days, he became the youngest Indian to make first-class cricket debut since 1986 and second-youngest ever to play Ranji Trophy for his state.

Only three Indians, Alimuddin (12 years and 73 days), SK Bose (12 years and 76 days) and Mohammad Ramzan (12 years and 247 days) have played first-class cricket at an age younger than Suryavanshi. However, Suryavanshi's outings were not very productive.

At 13, during the game against Australia Under-19 at Chennai back during September-October 2024, Suryavanshi cracked a 58-ball century, making himself the Indian with fastest ton in U19 Tests. That century shot the Bihar batter to nationwide fame.

Suryavanshi's exploits at such a young age, the fact that he navigated through the ranks of state and age-group cricket at such a young age, made IPL franchises take notice. After an immense bidding war with Delhi Capitals (DC), Rajasthan Royals (RR) emerged victorious with the signing of Suryavanshi at Rs 1.1 crores during the mega auction in November 2024. At 13 years of age, he became the youngest player to get an IPL contract.

More opportunities came as he cracked 176 runs in five matches of ACC U19 Asia Cup 2024-25 in five matches with two half-centuries in December 2024. Both these half-centuries came in tough matches, a must-win encounter against hosts UAE and the semifinals against Sri Lanka. He also got his maiden T20 cap for Bihar in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), though he had a setback there.

In the same month, he became the youngest Indian to play List-A cricket, playing for Bihar in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the first time at the age of 13 years and 269 days old. Soon, a quickfire 71 in just 42 balls against Baroda made him the youngest Indian batter in List A cricket to score a fifty.

Occasional setbacks and the glitter, riches of world's biggest cricket league did not shift Vaibhav's focus as the first opportunity he got against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as an Impact Player in place of skipper Sanju Samson, the left-hander sent his first-ball ever, bowled by Shardul Thakur into the orbit, highlighting the fearlessness and attacking intent of new age Indian T20 cricket. 'See ball, hit ball' is the mantra. No matter if one is Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, or Mitchell Starc, everyone has experienced a brief demonstration of this newfound and attractive philosophy over the last few years. There was no stage fright at all as he barely hesitated in launching two fours and two more sixes in a well-compiled 20-ball 34. After his dismissal, Suryavanshi went back with tears in his eyes, wishing for more.

Though a brief 16-run cameo against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) tested his patience for a big one further, the GT match was where he fired all cylinders.

Against a threatening pace unit of Purple Cap holder Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj and veteran Ishant Sharma, assisted by spin wizards Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore, who could move the ball at will, Suryavanshi did not quiver.

While he was careful against Siraj, barely hitting a six against him in the beginning, Ishant's mixture of pace and experience crumbled in front of Suryavanshi's youthful risk-taking as he was tonked for two fours and three sixes, 28 runs in total.

Two sixes and a four against Washington Sundar took him to a 17-ball fifty, which was the fifth-fastest in IPL history, making him the youngest ever to reach this milestone in the league's history.

Karim Janat, a reputed Afghanistan star in T20 circuit, faced even worse as every ball of his travelled beyond the ropes, either taking a grounded route or the aerial, as three fours and three sixes in the over added 30 more runs.

In the 11th over, a massive six over deep midwicket helped Suryavanshi reach his 35-ball ton. The globe-trotting Afghan T20 superstar Rashid Khan, racing slowly towards 650 T20 wickets but struggling for form and rhythm this season, saw his delivery being launched into the sky helplessly. This milestone was met with an ecstatic scream and standing ovation from RR head coach and former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid, an evergreen symbol of a more careful, steely, defensive, less-risky brand of cricket of the good old days. The 'Old School' cheered and clapped loudly for a style of cricket that the experts would scoff at years ago, and could have been left shelved in the 'Fiction' section of India's vast library of cricket history and philosophy if it was not for a decade-worth of failure to lift an ICC Trophy.

When Vaibhav was dismissed by Prasidh Krishna for a 38-ball 101, consisting of seven fours and 11 sixes, the youngster walked back to a standing ovation. The teenager tonked plenty of sixes, leaving the crowd cherishing and holding their physical match tickets/passes close to their chest after such an unforgettable knock. He and Yashasvi Jaiswal made an absolute quick snack out of a challenging 210 run chase set by GT, as it was achieved in 15.5 overs. Vaibhav walked back with several memories and records attached to his name.

The biggest night of his career so far witnessed him break these records:

-Vaibhav reached his century in 35 balls, which is the second-fastest century in the history of the IPL, below Chris Gayle's 30-ball ton against now-defunct Pune Warriors India for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) back in 2013. Vaibhav is now also the fastest Indian to score a century in the IPL.

-The left-hander, at the age of 14 years and 32 days, is the youngest player to score a century in T20 cricket history, surpassing Vijay Zol, who was 18 years and 118 days old while scoring a century for Maharashtra against Mumbai in 2013.

-This is also the seventh-fastest century in T20 cricket, with the fastest one belonging to Sahil Chauhan of Estonia against Cyprus in 2024, coming in just 27 balls.

-Suryavanshi also reached his fifty in just 17 balls, the fifth-fastest in league history, making him the youngest ever to score an IPL fifty.

-94 of Suryavanshi's runs came through boundaries, with seven fours and 11 sixes included. 93% boundary percentage is the highest in any century in IPL's history.

-Also, Vaibhav tied with former Indian batter Murali Vijay for most sixes by an Indian in an IPL innings, 11 each, with most sixes overall being hit by Gayle during his iconic 175* against Pune Warriors India, which included 17 maximums.

-Also, the 166-run stand between Vaibhav and Yashasvi Jaiswal is the highest partnership for any wicket for Rajasthan Royals, surpassing 155 by Jos Buttler & Devdutt Padikkal against DC at the Wankhede in 2022.

-Suryavanshi also took just three innings to reach his maiden IPL ton, outdoing Punjab Kings (PBKS) batters Priyansh Arya and Paul Valthaty, who took four innings, as per Wisden.com.

Vaibhav has now made 151 runs in three matches at an average of 75.50 and a strike rate of 222.05, with the best score of 101* in the IPL 2025.

Whether Vaibhav makes it big or not is something only time will tell, but he has given a glimpse of what could be in the future if his intent stays high, his practice remains consistent, and humility is intact in the coming days of skyrocketing social media follows and ad endorsements. (ANI)