In a match where Gujarat Titans were expected to dominate, 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi unleashed an annihilating blitzkrieg, scoring 101 runs off just 38 balls. This remarkable feat made him the youngest player in IPL history to slam a century and single-handedly secured a decisive victory for Rajasthan Royals. Vaibhav, who was nicknamed Boss Baby after this phenomenal innings, also became the fastest Indian to reach a century in the IPL, achieving this milestone in a mere 35 deliveries. Furthermore, it was the second fastest century in IPL history, behind only the Universe Boss – Chris Gayle.
He relentlessly attacked Gujarat’s bowlers, smashing 11 sixes, the most by an Indian in a single IPL innings. Even seasoned bowlers like Ishant Sharma, with two decades of experience, were left bewildered as Suryavanshi plundered 27 runs off the seven deliveries bowled to him. Karim Janat endured a forgettable IPL debut, conceding 30 runs in his solitary over, the tenth over of the innings that was brutally dominated by Vaibhav’s three fours and three sixes.
The only bowler who seemed to momentarily curb Suryavanshi’s aggression was Rashid Khan, who nearly dismissed Vaibhav lbw. However, even Rashid Khan was later struck for a six, which brought up Vaibhav’s maiden, record-breaking IPL ton. He deservedly received a standing ovation from everyone in the dugout and the spectators; even Rahul Dravid, despite nursing a broken foot and visibly stumbling, stood up to applaud his innings, appearing happier and more elated than ever before.
Remarkably, even established players like Yashasvi Jaiswal were content to watch from the other end, even modestly taking a single to give the strike back to the aggressive Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Jos Buttler too was visibly in awe of the young prodigy’s power-hitting. Unsurprisingly, he was awarded the Player of the Match, also clinching the CURVV Super Strike and AngelOne Super Sixes of the Match awards.
Even those who missed the live match can enjoy the entirety of Suryavanshi’s power hitting in the highlights, as 94 of his 101 runs came off boundaries, which included 7 fours and 11 sixes.
In what felt like an unending display of power hitting, Vaibhav was finally dismissed by an excellent yorker from Prasidh Krishna and departed the field to another standing ovation from everyone present in the stadium and on the ground. This innings served as a clear warning to other teams about the threat Suryavanshi poses. However, his dismissal also hinted at a vulnerability that many batsmen have faced: the effectiveness of yorker-length deliveries.
After reaching a century, a batsman often plays with increased fearlessness due to the lessened pressure of getting out. Nevertheless, history shows that many batsmen struggle to maintain their momentum after scoring a ton, which might have played a role in Suryavanshi’s dismissal. Still, his wicket offers a potential strategy for other teams, particularly Mumbai Indians, who possess the yorker specialist Jasprit Bumrah and are Rajasthan Royals’ next opponents.
Post-injury, experts and commentators have analyzed changes in Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling action, noting that his back angle at the release point has shifted from 33 degrees to 45 degrees. While this adjustment reportedly makes it more challenging for him to land yorkers on the middle and leg stump, it has also enhanced his ability to deliver perfect yorkers on the off stump. With his modified action, he can consistently bowl yorkers on the off stump with the same precision as his career best, which is a significant advantage despite the temporary limitation and difficulty on targeting the other two stumps.
The off stump is often the least guarded part of a batsman’s stance, making yorkers aimed there particularly effective. This could prove to be the key to silencing the dangerous and potent Vaibhav in the upcoming match between MI and RR, as the yorker he faced after his century pales in comparison to the deadly, pitch-perfect, and almost unplayable yorkers that Bumrah can deliver. His bowling partner, Trent Boult, is of similar caliber and has been in excellent form recently. This brings the promise of some interesting match ups, testing the young talent in front of the world’s best bowlers.
This could significantly aid Mumbai in dealing with Rajasthan’s primary threat, as their other batsmen have shown inconsistency, essentially positioning Vaibhav as the Nicholas Pooran equivalent for RR in Mumbai’s eyes. Regardless, with many more matches on the horizon, Vaibhav has unequivocally announced his arrival on the global cricket stage as a potential rising star in Indian cricket, one who could even emulate the greatness of players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, or even Sachin Tendulkar, whose record of being the youngest Ranji debutant he has already surpassed.
