Imagine being a 14-year-old stepping up to the IPL stage—and not just stepping up, but scoring a century! That’s exactly what Vaibhav Suryavanshi became, the youngest player in men’s T20 history to score a century. Wait for it—prior to this landmark inning, he’d also had a couple of interactions with both Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni!
The Calm Before the Storm
Before his fireworks, Suryavanshi had modest scores of 34 and 16 in his first two matches. But an encounter with Dhoni in Guwahati seemed to instill some belief. RR team manager Romi Bhinder said Dhoni approached Suryavanshi and kind of jokingly said, “Oh, the baby,” made a good impression, and subsequently allowed the opportunity for him to interact with players who may not otherwise have had the chance to interact with their heroes!
The Wisdom of Kohli
The 14-year old, a self-proclaimed Virat Kohli fan, had also met Kohli during the functions. Kohli, very kindly, discussed the importance of staying grounded and working hard—certainly great advice given the pressures of being such a young person entering the professional cricket world.
The Result? A Century, and a Record!
Following this advice and boost of confidence, Suryavanshi ultimately scored 101 runs in just 38 balls against the Gujarat Titans. With 11 sixes and 7 fours, he also became the youngest centurion in men’s T20 history and the fastest centurion for an Indian player in an IPL match.
The Look of Things Ahead Suryavanshi’s story is about the benefits of good mentorship, remaining grounded, and that “age is just a number” when looking for professional success in sports.
What are your thoughts? Is the next big cricketing superstar on the rise? We would love to know your thoughts below!
