India under-19 captain Vaibhav Suryavanshi is a player who is getting a lot of cricket supporters excited right now. Suryavanshi, who only turns 15 in March, had everyone captivated on Wednesday when he smashed 127 off just 74 balls in a Youth ODI against South Africa’s Under-19s in Benoni.
As the youngest captain ever in Youth ODI history, Suryavanshi notched up his hundred in just 63 deliveries. In the previous match, he demolished the South African bowling attack, hitting 10 sixes on his way to scoring 68 off just 24 balls. This is a young man who clearly has the cricket world at his feet.
Of course, he first came to the world’s attention towards the back end of 2024 when he was picked up by Rajasthan Royals at 13 years old, becoming the youngest-ever player to sign an IPL contract.
In his IPL debut against the Lucknow Super Giants, he became the youngest player in the competition’s history and showed he was made for the big stage by hitting the first ball he faced for a six. He ended up scoring 34 runs off 20 balls. In late April, he smashed 100 off 35 balls as Rajasthan Royals beat Gujarat Titans.
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Youngest to score a T20 1⃣0⃣0⃣ ✅
Fastest TATA IPL hundred by an Indian ✅
Second-fastest hundred in TATA IPL ✅Vaibhav Suryavanshi, TAKE. A. BOW 🙇 ✨
Updates ▶ https://t.co/HvqSuGgTlN#TATAIPL | #RRvGT | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/sn4HjurqR6
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 28, 2025
In a country with over 1.4 billion people, where cricket is almost like a religion, Suryavanshi could find himself becoming one of the world’s most famous sportsmen.
If his development continues on its current trajectory, his profile could soon transcend cricket and place him among a new generation of global sporting icons. Much like Spain’s Lamine Yamal in football, France’s Victor Wembanyama in basketball, Australia’s sprint sensation Gout Gout, and South Africa’s rising athletics star Bayanda Walaza, Suryavanshi represents a rare blend of youth, elite performance and mass appeal.
These are athletes whose stories often travel faster than their statistics, amplified by social media, global broadcasts and an increasingly connected sports audience.
History also serves as a cautionary tale when it comes to prodigies elevated too quickly. Former India Under-19 captain Prithvi Shaw burst onto the scene with comparisons to legends and a century on Test debut, only to see his career stall amid form issues, fitness concerns and the crushing weight of expectation. His story is a reminder that talent alone is not enough, and that careful management, patience and support are essential if Suryavanshi is to fulfil his immense promise rather than be consumed by the hype surrounding him.
For Suryavanshi, the scale is potentially even greater. Indian cricket stars command audiences that dwarf most global sports markets, with every milestone watched by tens of millions. Should he make the leap from prodigy to international mainstay, endorsements, cultural influence and global recognition would follow naturally.
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