Indian cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi honoured with 'Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar'

Rising Indian cricket talent Vaibhav Suryavanshi was awarded the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar by President Droupadi Murmu on Friday in recognition of his outstanding performances for Team India in age-group cricket and for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 14-year-old left-handed batter has gained nationwide attention, with many drawing comparisons to Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who also began his career as a teenage prodigy.

Suryavanshi made history last year by becoming the youngest player to secure an IPL contract, purchased by Rajasthan Royals for ₹1.1 crore.

Before his IPL debut, he had scored a 58-ball century for India in a four-day match against Australia U19 and participated in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup 2024, scoring 176 runs at an average of 44, including two half-centuries.

In his IPL debut against the Lucknow Super Giants, in the absence of injured skipper Sanju Samson, Suryavanshi hit the first ball faced from Shardul Thakur for a six and ended with 34 runs off 20 balls.

Across seven innings in his debut IPL season, he scored 252 runs at an average of 36.00 and a strike rate exceeding 206, registering a century and a fifty. His century against Gujarat Titans made him the youngest centurion in T20 cricket and broke the record for the fastest IPL century by an Indian, reaching 100 in 35 balls with seven fours and 11 sixes.

During India U19’s tour of England, he recorded the fastest century in U19 ODI cricket, scoring 143 off 78 balls, including 13 fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 183.33. His ton came off 52 balls, surpassing Pakistan’s Kamran Ghulam’s 53-ball record in 2013. He was the top scorer in the ODI leg of the series with 355 runs in five innings at an average of 71.00 and a strike rate of 174.01, including one century and one fifty.

In the Rising Stars Asia Cup, representing India A against UAE A, Suryavanshi hit 144 runs in 42 balls, achieving a 32-ball century—his fastest to date—and marking the joint-third-fastest T20 century by an Indian. He topped India’s semi-final run with 239 runs in four innings at an average of 59.75 and a strike rate of 243.87.

In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy clash against Maharashtra last month, he became the youngest century-scorer in the tournament’s history with 108 off 61 balls, hitting seven fours and seven sixes at a strike rate above 177.

Most recently, during the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 Plate League fixture against Arunachal Pradesh, the 14-year-old scored 190 off 84 balls, reaching 150 runs in 59 deliveries and surpassing AB de Villiers’ record of 64 balls for the fastest List A 150. This marked his first non-T20I century in senior cricket.

Earlier this month, he also scored 171 off 95 balls in the U19 Asia Cup in the UAE.

In terms of career statistics:

- T20s: 701 runs in 18 matches, average 41.23, strike rate 204.37, three centuries, one fifty.

- List A: 322 runs in seven matches, average 46.00, strike rate 157.84, one century, one fifty.

- First-class: 207 runs in 12 innings, average 17.25, one fifty.

- Youth ODIs: 767 runs in 15 matches, average 51.13, strike rate 158.79, two centuries, three fifties.

- Youth Tests: 331 runs in six matches, average 33.10, strike rate above 136, two centuries, one fifty.

Suryavanshi is also expected to feature in India’s Under-19 World Cup campaign in Zimbabwe and Namibia, continuing his rapid ascent in Indian cricket.