“Diwali jaldi aa gayee” – Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s father, Sanjiv, reacts to his record IPL ton

On Monday evening, 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi etched his name into cricketing history, becoming the youngest player to score a century in men’s Twenty20 cricket during an IPL fixture between the Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans.

His blistering, unbeaten 35-ball hundred powered the Rajasthan Royals to a dominant eight-wicket victory in Jaipur, marking a historic moment for the young prodigy.

Confident in his ability to score whenever the ball landed in his arc, he executed his game plan to perfection, reaching his maiden IPL century in just 35 deliveries, laced with seven boundaries and eleven towering sixes.

In doing so, he not only became the youngest centurion in both IPL and T20 cricket but also recorded the second-fastest century in IPL history — and the quickest ever by an Indian in the tournament.

Signs of his potential surfaced earlier when he struck a six off his very first IPL delivery against Shardul Thakur, scoring a brisk 34 against the Lucknow Super Giants. However, his true prowess was on full display against the Gujarat Titans, where he unleashed a storm of 11 sixes.

Sanjiv Suryavanshi expresses pride in his son Vaibhav’s 35-ball ton

The historic innings sparked jubilant celebrations in his hometown of Samastipur, Bihar, as friends and neighbours gathered outside his residence, lighting firecrackers in honor of the teenager’s extraordinary achievement.

Vaibhav’s journey mirrors that of his idol, Shubman Gill, with his father, Sanjiv Suryavanshi, building a cement pitch in their backyard after drawing inspiration from Gill’s childhood training setup.

“Diwali 6 mahine jaldi aa gayi (Diwali came six months early). Vaibhav played an incredible knock in just 35 balls and helped the Rajasthan Royals win the match. We are absolutely thrilled with his knock. There is a festive atmosphere in our house,” Sanjiv Suryavanshi told Times of India.

Legends like Rahul Dravid, the head coach of the Rajasthan Royals, and VVS Laxman at the National Cricket Academy have mentored the adolescent during his rapid ascent.

“Laxman sir, monitored his growth for two years. Now, Rahul Dravid sir has taken him under his wing,” shared Vaibhav’s coach, Manish Ojha.

Vaibhav was signed by the Royals at the age of 13, and his technical skill has received widespread praise. Vikram Rathour, the batting coach for the Rajasthan Royals, commended the youngster and also expressed gratitude to Dravid and Zubin Bharucha, as well as the Royals’ management, for helping Vaibhav improve his game in recent months.

“He’s a special, special talent. Technically, he has a great downswing, which helps him generate that kind of power... For a 14-year-old to play like that — that itself is special,” Rathour said.

Sanjiv echoed the sentiment, emphasising the franchise’s role.

“Yes, he worked hard, but credit goes to the Royals’ management. They nurtured him, and now he’s reaping the rewards,” Sanjiv added.

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