The Bihar batter has indeed proved his mettle on the big stage with a jaw-dropping hundred for the Rajasthan Royals against Gujarat Titans that made him the Indian Premier League’s youngest centurion
Crash! Boom! Bang! That emotional, soft number by pop group Roxette takes a rather rough undertone when you play it in the context of the new kid on Indian cricket block — Vaibhav Suryavanshi. For the 14-year-old is more of a heavy metal performer, with his bat rattling like the guitars of those hard rocking men.
The Bihar batter has indeed proved his mettle on the big stage with a jaw-dropping hundred for the Rajasthan Royals against Gujarat Titans that made him the Indian Premier League’s youngest centurion. The 35-ball whirlwind of a knock which included 11 sixes that soared into the stands and seven fours that raced to the fence made his century the second fastest of the tournament and the quickest by an Indian, beating a record that is (at 15 years) older than him. That he accumulated 94 of his 101 runs in boundaries is just one eloquent pointer to Suryavanshi’s splendid skillset.
Baby-faced Vaibhav is younger than the League — he was born three years after the IPL began in 2008. But his age just does not show when the cracking kid is at the crease, bat in hand. He plays like a pro — no nerves, no fear. That he was up against bowlers of international class did not deter the whiz from wielding his willow to telling effect, swinging it hard across their flummoxed faces. Such self-confidence and assertive attitude has earned the lad accolades all around and positioned him as one for the future.
In many ways, the phenomenally talented Vaibhav represents a new India, in which achievers chart their own path and are not bogged down by tradition and history. To be picked at an IPL auction for more than a crore of rupees and blooded early to break barriers is something truly special.
One hopes it rubs off on to other forms of the game that India loves — Tests and One-Day Internationals as well — which could very well toss the phrase, child’s play, out of the window.
