April 29, 2025: On a warm Monday night at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, history wasn’t just made—it stood up.
When 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi raised his bat after completing a blistering 35-ball century, the stadium erupted. But amid the sea of applause and disbelief, it was one gesture that summed up the sheer magnitude of what had just happened—Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid, wheelchair-bound all season due to injury, stood up to celebrate.
This was no ordinary innings. Rajasthan Royals, facing a steep target of 210 against Gujarat Titans, sent out their youngest-ever debutant alongside the experienced Yashasvi Jaiswal. What followed was a 15-over masterclass in power-hitting and composure that rewrote IPL history books.
Vaibhav, just 14 years and 32 days old, became the youngest player to score a T20 century, and the fastest Indian to hit a century in the IPL, overtaking Yusuf Pathan’s 15-year-old record. His 35-ball ton is second only to Chris Gayle’s iconic 30-ball hundred in 2013.
From the very start, Suryavanshi looked unshaken. He dispatched experienced internationals like Ishant Sharma, Washington Sundar, and Rashid Khan with astonishing ease. In one over from Ishant, he struck three sixes and two fours, while later smashing Sundar for two sixes and a four to reach a 17-ball half-century.
But the moment that will live longest came in the 11th over, when he stepped out to Rashid Khan and launched him over long-off to bring up his century. As the ball soared, so did Rajasthan’s head coach—Rahul Dravid, injured since the start of the season, leaped from his wheelchair, arms raised, face alight with pride and disbelief.
Dravid had not stood once all season, not during training, not even during post-match handshakes. But for this—this miracle—he couldn’t remain seated.
“It was incredible,” said Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag. “We’ve seen what he’s capable of in the nets, but to do it out there, against Rashid, Siraj, Ishant… there are no words.”
Suryavanshi’s innings ended unbeaten on 108 off 41 balls, stitched together with Jaiswal’s 70 off 40*, as Rajasthan chased down 210 in just 15.5 overs, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.
Signed last November for INR 1.1 crore, Vaibhav was widely seen as a long-term investment. Few expected him to feature this early, and no one foresaw this.
Asked about his approach, the soft-spoken teenager said: “I just wanted to watch the ball and hit it. I didn’t think too much.”
Sometimes, greatness doesn’t think. It just flows.
On a night of runs, records, and redemption, it wasn’t the scoreboard that defined the story—it was the silent man in the dugout, who stood for a boy who made cricket believe again.