The Indian cricket landscape is buzzing with excitement over a new teenage sensation, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. At a mere 14 years of age, this young left-handed batter is delivering performances so extraordinary that they are forcing veterans and fans alike to take serious notice.
Tharoor's Bold Tendulkar Comparison
The wave of admiration reached a new peak when veteran politician and noted cricket aficionado Shashi Tharoor made a stunning historical parallel. Reacting to Sooryavanshi's latest exploits on social media platform X, Tharoor declared, "The last time a fourteen year old showed such prodigious cricketing talent, it was Sachin Tendulkar — and we all know what became of him." He ended his post with a clarion call: "What are we waiting for? Vaibhav Suryavanshi for India!"
A Record-Shattering Innings in Vijay Hazare Trophy
The catalyst for this frenzy was Sooryavanshi's breathtaking knock for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy Plate league opener at the JSCA Oval Ground. The prodigy blasted a century in just 36 balls, a feat that places him second only to Anmolpreet Singh's 35-ball effort in the annals of fastest Indian centuries in List A cricket. Globally, it stands as the joint fourth-fastest List A hundred ever recorded.
But the young batter was far from finished. He accelerated to 150 runs in only 54 deliveries and was eventually dismissed for a mammoth 190 runs off 84 balls. His assault powered Bihar to a colossal total of 574 for 6 in their 50 overs. Arunachal Pradesh was then bundled out for 177, handing Bihar a massive victory by 397 runs.
A Trail of Teenage Records
This Vijay Hazare Trophy carnage is not a one-off for the teenager. Earlier this month, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Maharashtra at Kolkata's hallowed Eden Gardens, Sooryavanshi hammered an unbeaten 108 off 61 balls. That innings made him the youngest player ever to score a century in the tournament's history, at just 14 years and 250 days old.
His appetite for big scores against international opposition is equally impressive. Sooryavanshi holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian in the U19 Asia Cup, a blistering 171 off 95 balls against the UAE. He has also notched up centuries against Australia U19 and for India A, including a mind-boggling 144 from just 42 deliveries in the Rising Stars Asia Cup.
The cricketing world is now watching with bated breath. With a maturity and power-hitting ability that belies his age, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is not just breaking records; he is shattering expectations and building a compelling case for a future that could indeed mirror the legendary path of Sachin Tendulkar.
