IPL 2025: Suryavanshi Vaibhav becomes tournament’s youngest player

Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi hit his first ball for six having become the youngest player to feature in the Indian Premier League during Rajasthan Royals’ defeat by Lucknow Super Giants.

Opening the batting for the Royals, Suryavanshi lifted India international Shardul Thakur over extra cover as he made an eye-catching 34 from 20 balls.

The left-hander also hit his third ball over the ropes and struck three fours plus one further six.

Suryavanshi, who only turned 14 last month and was signed at last year’s auction for £103,789 (1.1 crore rupees), was particularly strong hitting down the ground and shared and opening stand of 85 with Yashasvi Jaiswal.

The teenager was eventually out stumped off South Africa’s Aiden Markram in the ninth over.

He took the record of spinner Prayas Rai Burman, who played one match for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2019, to become the youngest IPL player. Burman featured aged 16 years and 154 days.

Suryavanshi’s opening stand with Jaiswal put Rajasthan on course for victory in pursuit of 181 and Jaiswal continued to make 74 to put his side well in command.

But Jaiswal was dismissed at the start of the 18th over and Lucknow completed a dramatic turnaround as Avesh Khan defended nine from the last over.

Rajasthan needed a four from the final ball but they ended on 178-5.