When Rajasthan Royals announced they had signed a 13-year-old for the Indian Premier League there was plenty of scepticism. It looked, at best, like the start of a long-term plan to lay claim to and develop a promising youngster, at worst a gimmick.
No one is sceptical now. In his third match the now-14 years old Vaibhav Suryavanshi has smashed the second fastest century in the IPL’s 18 seasons, a blistering 35-ball display of pyrotechnics that carried his team to a thumping eight-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in Jaipur.
Only ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle has hit a quicker IPL ton than his fellow left-hander, and ‘Baby Boss’ Suryavanshi would have been close to his 30-ball display had he not played himself in with nine off his first seven balls, albeit that included a straight six off 140kph Indian Test seamer Ishant Sharma. Thereafter he hit 92 off 28 balls, including ten more sixes and seven fours.
A couple of boundaries were streaky, but most were hit with devastating power with fearless clean hitting all round the wicket. His century was brought up with a six over mid-wicket, off the skilled legspinner Rashid Khan.
Every boundary was rapturously cheered by the pink-clad Royals fans in the ‘Pink City’, none of whom will ever forget the night.
By the time Suryavanshi was yorked for 101 Royals were well on the way to overhauling Titans’ 4-209, doing so with 25 balls to spare, ending a five-match losing streak. Yashasvi Jaiswal, dropped by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler on two, made 70 not out.
“Incredible innings, one of the best I have seen,” said Jaiswal of Suryavanshi, whos einnings was made against a high-class attack of Test bowlers.
Jaiswal, who himself was hailed as a tyro when making Test and IPL centuries as a 21-year-old two years ago, added: “I hope he will do it for us for a long time. I was telling him to just keep going. He just played amazing shots, he practises well, works hard in the nets. He has the game and temperament, I wish him all the luck.”
“It was Suryavanshi’s day, his hitting was tremendous and he made full use of it,” said Shubman Gill, Gujarat’s captain, who himself made 84 off 50 balls, backed up by Buttler’s unbeaten 50 off 26.
The boy himself was still taking it in.
“It feels really good,” he said. “What I’ve been practising for the last three-four months, the result is showing. I don’t see the ground so much, just focus on the ball.
“It is like a dream, to score a century in the IPL.”
While Titans, in third with 12 points, are still well-placed to make the play-offs Royals, in eighth with six, are unlikely to do so. Nevertheless, they has provided what will probably be the most memorable occasion of the tournament.
