The cricket world was abuzz when Rajasthan Royals picked up Vaibhav Suryavanshi for a whopping 1.1 crore rupees. At the time, his youth was the talking point, not his game. That all changed when he exploded onto the scene with a blistering batting performance in IPL 2025. Fans started drawing comparisons to the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who made his international debut at a young age.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s impressive stats include a century off just 35 balls against Gujarat Titans, the second-fastest in IPL history. He also hit a six on his debut’s very first ball. This fearless batting style won over millions of fans, earning him the Sachin Tendulkar comparison.
Former Australian cricketer Steve Waugh isn’t a fan of comparing players to Sachin, though. At an event in Mumbai, he said, “You can’t compare any cricketer to Sachin Tendulkar. An 18-year-old scoring a century in Perth, Australia? That’s a huge achievement. Perth is known for having one of the toughest and most unique pitches worldwide.”
Steve Waugh’s Advice
Waugh acknowledged Vaibhav’s talent, admitting he never thought a 14-year-old would score a century in the IPL. “I never thought a 14-year-old would achieve this feat. It’s beyond imagination.” He believes Vaibhav’s real challenge will be to sustain his performance in future seasons. “Can he maintain this freedom and enthusiasm in the next season? That’s the real test. He’s mentally strong and has the talent. You want to see players like him succeed – it’s a great story for cricket and for me.”
Vaibhav played 7 matches for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025, scoring 252 runs with a strike rate of 206.55, including a century and a half-century. His journey is one to watch in the cricket world.