NEW DELHI, Dec 26: India’s youngest cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi marked another milestone in his extraordinary career when he was conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar by President Droupadi Murmu on Friday, recognizing his remarkable achievements in age-group and senior cricket.
At just 14 years old, the left-handed batsman has become a household name, drawing comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar for the pace and magnitude of his rise. Sooryavanshi first captured national attention last year by becoming the youngest-ever player to secure an Indian Premier League contract, with Rajasthan Royals acquiring him for Rs 1.1 crore.
Before his IPL debut, Sooryavanshi had already announced his arrival with a 58-ball century for India against Australia Under-19s. He delivered consistent performances in the 2024 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup, scoring 176 runs at an average of 44.
His IPL entry amplified the excitement around him. Making his debut in place of injured captain Sanju Samson, he smashed his very first ball for a six and finished his debut season with 252 runs in seven innings at a strike rate exceeding 200.
His record-breaking century against Gujarat Titans made him the youngest centurion in T20 cricket and the fastest Indian to an IPL hundred, reaching the milestone in just 35 balls.
The achievements continued to pile up. On India Under-19’s tour of England, Sooryavanshi blasted the fastest century in youth ODI history and topped the run charts. He followed with explosive knocks in the Rising Stars Asia Cup, including a 32-ball hundred.
Last month, he became the youngest player to score a century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Earlier this week, he became the youngest to hit a men’s List A hundred in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, also shattering AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest 150 in the format.
The national honor recognizes Sooryavanshi’s exceptional talent and his potential to become one of India’s future cricket stars.
