Ravichandran Ashwin Recalls 14-Year-Old ‘Marvel’ Vaibhav Suryavanshi Outclassing Legend’s Bowling

During a conversation with Rajasthan Royals’ lead analyst Panish Shetty, Ravichandran Ashwin discussed the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

Ravichandran Ashwin Recalls 14-Year-Old ‘Marvel’ Vaibhav Suryavanshi Outclassing Legend’s Bowling

R Ashwin expressed surprise at Vaibhav Suryavanshi's brilliant batting abilities. (Image via NDTV Sports)

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Ex-Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in a conversation with former Rajasthan Royals’ teammate Sanju Samson, expressed his awe for 14-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Ashwin also recounted how Suryavanshi managed to outclass his bowling during the 2025 IPL season.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi was one of the most talked-about names among Indian cricket fans during the 2025 IPL season. He created history by becoming the youngest ever player to play in the IPL, when he played for Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants at the age of just 14 years and 23 days. He had a memorable debut, impressing fans with a six off his very first ball.

The left-handed opener mesmerized fans with a spectacular innings against Gujarat Titans, where he scored his maiden hundred off just 38 balls. This not only made him the youngest centurion in IPL history but also the second-fastest, behind Chris Gayle‘s 35-ball century. Suryavanshi finished the season with 252 runs in seven matches at an average of 36 and a blistering strike rate of 206.56.

Suryavanshi’s explosive batting abilities and composure beyond his years have earned him many admirers, including R Ashwin and Sanju Samson. The two recently met on Ashwin’s podcast, ‘Kutti Stories With Ash,’ where they discussed a range of topics, including the recent rumors about them leaving their respective IPL franchises before the 2026 season. Samson and Ashwin reflected on how stunned they were by Suryavanshi’s ability to hit the ball so hard against some of the world’s best bowlers.

Samson, who captained Suryavanshi during the season with the Rajasthan Royals, revealed that the 14-year-old is the only modern cricketer who excites him the most. While Samson admitted to having initially thought that Suryavanshi’s hitting abilities were purely driven by luck, he later had to change his mind upon being convinced by the young opener’s quality of shots during later matches, in the 2025 IPL.

Yeah, I saw him hit one for a six. I was thinking that the little guy got lucky, but it kept on going. The quality of the shots also really shocked me.

Sanju Samson said (via Kutti Stories with Ashwin)

Ashwin recalled how he had bowled one ball from around the stumps to Suryavanshi during an encounter between CSK and RR, who hit it to the covers, and another one towards mid-on for a single. The veteran spinner said he thought to himself, ‘where did this kid come from’ especially since he was only 14 years old and facing top bowlers, while Ashwin had made his IPL debut 18 years ago.

It’s not so much about his hitting. I bowled one ball from around the stumps… I was thinking, what the hell, where did this kid come from, and he’s 14 years old. I made my debut 18 years ago in the IPL.

Furthermore, Ashwin revealed that he had also overheard English stars Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer discussing what it felt like to be hit by a player half their age. Suryavanshi was at his best during India U-19’s recent tour to England, where he finished as the highest run-getter with 355 runs in five youth ODIs.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi Begins Personalized Training for India U-19’s Australia Tour

Teenage cricketing sensation and one of India’s emerging stars, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, has started preparing for India U-19’s upcoming tour to Australia, which begins on September 21. The youngster is part of the 15-man squad that will play three Youth ODIs and two Youth Tests against the Aussies.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi training
Vaibhav Suryavanshi has started training ahead of India U-19’s tour to Australia. (via India Today)

Suryavanshi has already begun practicing at BCCI’s National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, and is currently undergoing personalized training ahead of the much-awaited U-19 tour. He has been joined by his personal coach, Manish Ojha, with his training regimen including a mix of technical and match-specific drills, in order to prepare him for both red and white-ball cricket. 

He will be joined in the U-19 squad by another young IPL sensation in Australia, Ayush Mhatre, who has been named captain of the side following a successful series against England. Four of the five matches on the Australia tour will be played in Brisbane, while the final match will be held in Mackay.

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