Fourteen-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi stunned not just UAE’s bowlers but also the broadcasters on Friday, offering what the presenter jokingly described as “philosophy lessons” moments after smashing a record-equalling 32-ball T20 century on debut for India A in the Rising Stars Asia Cup at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium.
Suryavanshi, who hours earlier had politely declined selfie requests from fans to stay focused on his game, lit up the afternoon with a breathtaking 144 off just 42 balls, an innings laced with 15 sixes and 11 fours, propelling India A to a massive 297/4. India eventually won by 148 runs, but it was the teenager’s poise – both with the bat and the mic – that left the cricket world buzzing.
Speaking at the innings break, the Bihar-born left-hander reflected on his journey and the lessons that shaped him.
“Fans hai toh support ke liye aaye hai. Kuch pressure nahi feel hota. Aur ek baar jab ground ke andar jao toh sab bahar ka kuch sunai nahi deta (Fans come to support us. I don’t feel any pressure. And once you step onto the ground, you don’t hear anything from outside),” he said, describing how he blocked out the noise in a stadium that had swarmed him before the toss.
Looking back on how far he has come, Suryavanshi added,
“Jab main peeche dekhta hoon toh pata chalta hai ye sab life ki journey hai. Main tab kahan khelta tha aur ab kahan khelta hoon (When I look back, I realise all of this is a part of life’s journey. Where I used to play then, and where I play now)… I am very grateful.”
He reserved special credit for his father.
“Main credit apne papa ko dena chahunga. Unhone mujhe bachpan se bohot strictly rakha. Tab lagta tha ki itne strict kyun hain, lekin ab samajh aata hai. Uska effect ground pe dikhta hai – main distract nahi hota (I want to give credit to my father. He kept me very disciplined from childhood. Back then, I used to wonder why he was so strict, but now I understand. Its impact shows on the field – I don’t get distracted).”
The broadcasters, amused and impressed, quipped: “Did we ever imagine getting philosophy lessons from a 14-year-old?”
Suryavanshi’s blistering hundred made him the joint second-fastest Indian to score a T20 century, matching Rishabh Pant’s 32-ball effort from 2018. Only Urvil Patel and Abhishek Sharma (28 balls) have done it quicker among Indians, while Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan holds the world record with a 27-ball ton.
At 14 years and 232 days, he also became the youngest player to score a hundred for any men’s national representative side. And remarkably, he is now the only cricketer in the world with two T20 centuries in 35 balls or fewer, having earlier blasted a 35-ball ton in the IPL – also as its youngest centurion.
His innings nearly ended before it began: UAE captain Alishan Sharafu spilt a simple catch off the first ball. Suryavanshi made the most of the reprieve, threatening at one stage to surpass Tilak Varma’s Indian T20 record and even Chris Gayle’s global benchmark before falling in the deep for a stunning 144.
The India A dugout rose to applaud him, aware they had just witnessed something historic – and perhaps the birth of cricket’s newest star philosopher.