Meet Vaibhav Suryavanshi: The 14-Year-Old Cricket Sensation Honored by the President
Vaibhav Suryavanshi Receives Prestigious Award
New Delhi: On Friday, India's President Droupadi Murmu honored 14-year-old cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi for his remarkable achievements in the sport.
The President presented the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to children who have excelled in various fields, including Bravery, Social Service, Environment, Sports, Art and Culture, and Science and Technology, during a ceremony in the capital.
This award is the highest civilian recognition in India for individuals aged between five and 18, aimed at acknowledging outstanding accomplishments across diverse domains such as art, innovation, science, social service, sports, and acts of bravery.
During the event, the President praised the young cricketer, stating, "Vaibhav Suryavanshi has carved a niche for himself in the competitive realm of cricket and has set numerous records."
Later that day, the talented teenager is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the ceremony, he will rejoin the India Under-19 team and head to Zimbabwe to prepare for the Under-19 World Cup, commencing on January 15.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also extended its congratulations to Suryavanshi, stating, "Kudos to our dynamic young batter, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, for receiving the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar from the Honourable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmuji," on their social media platform.
Congratulations to our explosive young batter, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, on being conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar by the Honourable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmuji.@rashtrapatibhvn pic.twitter.com/icMEcKK9Zu
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 26, 2025
Earlier this week, Suryavanshi achieved a remarkable feat by scoring 190 runs off just 84 balls against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, making him the youngest centurion in List A cricket history. His innings also broke AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest 150 in List A matches, and his 15 sixes set a new record for the most by an Indian in a 50-over game.
Earlier this month, he scored an unbeaten 108 runs for Bihar against Maharashtra in the Elite Group B Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 at Eden Gardens, marking his first century in T20 domestic cricket and his third overall in the format. This achievement made him the youngest player to score a century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at just 14 years and 250 days.
Suryavanshi also holds the record for the highest score by an Indian in U19 Asia Cup history, with a stunning 171 runs off 95 balls against the UAE.
In November, he impressed everyone with a century against the Australia U19 team during a Youth Test match in Brisbane. His latest remarkable performance came in the Rising Stars Asia Cup, where he scored 144 runs off just 42 balls for India A against the UAE, hitting 11 fours and 15 sixes.
His 32-ball century made him the youngest player to achieve this milestone for any national representative team at the senior level, breaking a record that stood for two decades.
Suryavanshi was the most-searched Indian on Google and ranked sixth globally. Last month, Instagram featured his journey on its official page, making him only the second Indian cricketer after Virat Kohli to receive such recognition.
Hailing from Bihar, the young cricketer had a sensational IPL debut season with the Rajasthan Royals, making history as the youngest player in the tournament at just 14 years and 23 days, debuting against the Lucknow Super Giants.
He then shocked fans by becoming the youngest centurion in IPL history just nine days later, scoring a rapid 100 runs off 35 balls against the Gujarat Titans, which is the fastest IPL century by an Indian and the second-fastest overall, following Chris Gayle.