'It will fast-track him if he goes and plays first-class cricket': Ravi Shastri heaps praise on Vaibhav Suryavanshi while commentating in Edgbaston Test

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'It will fast-track him if he goes and plays first-class cricket': Ravi Shastri heaps praise on Vaibhav Suryavanshi while commentating in Edgbaston Test
Vaibhav Suryavanshi of India U19 bats during the England U19 and India U19 Youth One Day Match on June 27, 2025 in Hove, England.

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi put on a jaw-dropping display at the 4th Youth ODI against England Under-19.

Ravi Shashtri has some encouraging words for Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

Rakesh Tiwari, the president of Bihar Cricket Association, hailed the youngster’s achievement.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi lit up the fourth Youth ODI against England Under-19s with a jaw-dropping display of strokeplay, smashing 143 runs off just 78 deliveries. His fireworks powered India to a commanding total of 363 for 9. In the process, he blazed his way to a century in only 52 balls , rewriting the record books with the fastest-ever hundred in Youth ODI history. The previous benchmark, a 53-ball ton by Pakistan’s Kamran Ghulam in 2013, was left in the dust.

Word Cup winner Ravi Shastri had high words of praise and expressed his admiration for 14-year-old batting sensation Suryavanshi, hinting that the prodigious left-hander could be ushered into the senior national setup sooner than expected, provided his meteoric rise continued.

Shastri impressed with Suryavanshi’s rise

“He will play First-Class cricket, but that’s what the IPL does. It gives you that platform. The whole country sees you. And you catch the imagination of everyone,” said Shastri during commentary on the ongoing Test between England and India at Edgbaston, when Michael Atherton inquired about the young talent. “It will fast-track him if he goes and plays First-Class cricket, goes and gets a couple of hundreds in his first couple of seasons.”

 

 

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Sky is the limit for Suryavanshi 

Born in Samastipur, Bihar, Suryavanshi had already etched his name into the history books by becoming the youngest player to register a Youth ODI ton, achieving the feat at just 14 years and 100 days. The previous record, held by Bangladesh’s Najmul Hossain Shanto (14 years, 241 days), was comfortably surpassed. Earlier in the year, the left-hander had already taken the IPL by storm, notching the fastest-ever century in the league’s history  a 35-ball blitz for Rajasthan Royals against Gujarat Titans.

“He has already caught the eyes; already made it to the Under-19 team at the age of 14.  Smacking  it everywhere. And  it’s tours like this to England, with this exposure. He can only improve,” Shastri stated  further.

 

 

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This wasn’t the first time Suryavanshi had shown a flair for rewriting records. In a Youth Test against Australia U19 in Chennai the previous year, he had scorched a 58-ball century, the second-fastest in Youth red-ball cricket, just behind former England all-rounder Moeen Ali’s 56-ball effort from 2005.

His exploits didn’t go unnoticed back home either. Bihar Cricket Association president Rakesh Tiwari hailed the youngster’s achievement, stating: “Vaibhav has brought immense pride to Bihar and to the nation. His dedication and mental strength at such a young age are extraordinary. We believe this is just the beginning of many more records to come.”

With India U19 leading the five-match series 2-1 at that point, Suryavanshi’s heroics had not only placed the team in a dominant position but also put the spotlight firmly on his potential. With each innings, the teenager continued to build a compelling case for early promotion into the senior domestic circuit — now bolstered by an endorsement from one of Indian cricket’s most respected voices.