Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: 5 facts about Smasher
Vaibhav Sooryavansi is part of the attraction in the IPL. Rajasthan Royals(RR) have a chance to win the title after 18 years cause of Sooyavansi’s hard hitting.
Here are 5 facts about Vaibhav Sooryavansi to know.
1. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: Youngest Player in IPL History
At just 13 years old, Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest player ever to be picked in an IPL auction, bagging a ₹1.10 crore contract with Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2025.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the youngest player in IPL history, making his debut for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026 at just 15 years and 2 days old (born March 27, 2011). The prodigy from Bihar, who is also the youngest centurion in men’s T20 history, took the field for his debut in April 2026.
2. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: Guidance from Rahul Dravid
Rajasthan Royals’ strategic move to sign Vaibhav indicates a long-term vision, with legendary coach Rahul Dravid likely mentoring him for future success.
Dravid said the mindset with which Vaibhav operates should not be coached, but one has to own the special talent he is. “It’s not the skill. Skill he has. But it’s the mindset.
Dravid, who mentored him as the head coach of the Rajasthan Royals during IPL 2025, emphasizes providing the young batter with the freedom to express himself while insulating him from external pressures.
Key Pillars of Dravid’s Guidance to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- Mindset Over Skill: Dravid believes Suryavanshi already possesses exceptional technical skills, such as a high backlift and quick length judgment. His core advice to other coaches is not to curb his aggressive mindset, stating that such a “gift” cannot be taught but only managed.
- Controlled Difficulty: In practice, Dravid suggests pushing the youngster beyond his comfort zone by creating difficult net scenarios or “feeding him stuff he might not be strong at”. This approach aims to help him find his own unique solutions through self-discovery
- Life Beyond Cricket: Dravid specifically advised Suryavanshi and his parents to stay grounded and avoid excessive use of mobile phones and internet media to stay away from the hype and spotlight.
3. Fastest Youth Test Century
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored a 58-ball century against Australia U-19, marking the fastest-ever youth Test century by an Indian. He scored a 58-ball hundred against Australia U19 in Chennai (September 2024). He was eventually run out for 104 off 62 balls
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the first Indian and only the second player globally (after Brendon McCullum) to score two Youth Test centuries at a strike rate of over 100. He also smashed a 78-ball century (finishing with 113 off 86 balls) against Australia U19 in Brisbane in October 2025, which included nine fours and eight sixes.
4. Humble Beginnings:
Hails from Tajpur village in Bihar’s Samastipur district, where his father, a farmer and part-time journalist, built a backyard pitch for him. His parents, including his mother Aarti Suryavanshi, made significant sacrifices to nurture his talent, with his father building a dedicated practice pitch for him. He has three brothers: Ujwal, Vishal Chauhan (who manages his training), and Aashirvad.
Grueling Routine: From age 8, Vaibhav and his father traveled 100 km from Samastipur to Patna every alternate day to attend training at GenNex Cricket Academy under coach Manish Ojha.
Known for his power-hitting, he frequently broke bats as a child and broke into the Bihar U-16 team at a very young age
By age 12, he was scoring heavily in tournaments like the Vinoo Mankad Trophy (400+ runs in 5 matches) and earned a spot in the Ranji Trophy squad.
5. Youngest player in IPL to hit a century
As of April 2026, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the youngest player in IPL history to score a century. He achieved this milestone at just 14 years old, playing for the Rajasthan Royals. He broke records with a rapid century against the Gujarat Titans in the 2025 season, establishing himself as a young prodigy.
Suryavanshi hit 101 runs off 38 balls, including 11 sixes and 7 fours