‘The Baby Showing Great Shots’: This Is What MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli Told Vaibhav Suryavanshi Before His Record IPL Century

April 29, 2025: Before Vaibhav Suryavanshi lit up the Sawai Mansingh Stadium with a historic 35-ball century, the 14-year-old prodigy had two special conversations that may have shaped his extraordinary night — one with MS Dhoni, and another with Virat Kohli.

Rajasthan Royals team manager Romi Bhinder, speaking to Sports Today, revealed that Vaibhav had met both Dhoni and Kohli earlier in the tournament, and that those moments left a lasting impression on the young cricketer.

The chat with MS Dhoni happened when Rajasthan Royals hosted Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati. Bhinder recalled Dhoni’s reaction upon meeting the Royals’ newest sensation:

“He met Mahi. He will again meet him in our reverse fixture against CSK. I can see similar traits in both — calm, composed, but capable of explosive shots. MS praised him a lot. He said, ‘Okay, you got the baby in your team. The baby is showing great shots like a matured player.’”

The meeting with Virat Kohli was equally memorable for Vaibhav, who is an admirer of the former RCB and India captain. During Rajasthan’s match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kohli shared a few valuable tips with the teenager.

“Vaibhav likes Virat Kohli a lot. They met and shared a couple of tips. Virat also told him how to stay grounded, how to stay humble and work hard,” Bhinder said.

Those words of encouragement may have fueled what followed — a breathtaking 38-ball 101 against Gujarat Titans that made Vaibhav the fastest Indian to score a century in IPL history, and the youngest player ever to hit a T20 hundred.

The knock not only ended Rajasthan Royals’ losing streak but also injected fresh hope into their playoff aspirations.

With the cricketing world taking notice and legends already in his corner, Vaibhav will next cross paths with Dhoni again when Rajasthan Royals face CSK in Chennai on May 12. Before that, they’ll face Mumbai Indians at home on May 1 — and all eyes will once again be on the “baby” who plays like a seasoned pro.