IPL 2025: Google CEO Sundar Pichai was among the millions of stunned cricket fans on Saturday as 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi made a fairytale debut for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), 2025. ”Woke up to watch an 8th grader play in the IPL!!! What a debut!” Pichai posted on X, summing up the awe and astonishment felt across the cricketing world.

Suryavanshi, just 14 years and 23 days old, became the youngest player ever to play in an IPL match. He has surpassed the previous records held by the likes of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Prayas Ray Barman.

Enter the stadium along with Yashasvi Jaiswal at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The baby is a left-hander, marked his debut in style by smashing his first ball for a six. The delivery was made by experienced pacer Shardul Thakur.

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The shot was welcomed by the crowd with cheers and a smile from injured RR captain Sanju Samson, who was watching from the dugout. Suryavanshi went on to score 34 off 20 balls, creating an 85-run stand along with Jaiswal.

Rise of Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Born in March 2011, the same year India won the World Cup, Suryavanshi’s growth has been rapid. He has experience of playing five First-Class matches for Bihar in the 2024-25 domestic season and bagged a spot in the India U-19 squad, where he showed an impressive show by hitting a 58-ball century against Australia.

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He came into limelight during the IPL 2025 auction when Rajasthan Royals purchased him for Rs 1.1 crore, making him the youngest player ever to sign an IPL contract.

By smashing a hit on his first delivery, Suryavanshi has joined the coveted list of IPL players to do so including, Carlos Brathwaite, Andre Russell and Mahesh Theekshana.

Netizens were quick to celebrate the victory. One user stated, ”In his very first match he played fearlessly-very talented… and obviously credit goes to RR too for backing him.” Another wrote, ”Did we really see what we saw? Six through the off side of the first ball on debut! Stuff of dreams.”

A third fan exclaimed, ”Wow, he might have never expected this. Even though the Royals lost, his six on the first ball wins hearts.”

(With inputs PTI)