BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla extended his congratulations on Friday to teenage cricket sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who was honoured with the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar by President Droupadi Murmu. The national award celebrates children who demonstrate exceptional talent and accomplishment, a criteria the 14-year-old batter has met with his meteoric rise in Indian cricket.
A Landmark Honour for a Young Prodigy
The award recognises Vaibhav Suryavanshi's outstanding performances at various age-group levels and his significant impact in senior domestic cricket, including the Indian Premier League. Remarkably, at just 14, he has achieved milestones many seasoned players aspire to in their entire careers. Sharing a photo from the ceremony on social media platform X, Rajiv Shukla praised the young cricketer and stated that this recognition should serve as a motivation for aspiring athletes nationwide.
"Congratulations to young cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi on being conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar by the Hon'ble President of India," Shukla wrote. "This recognition of his talent and dedication is a proud moment and an inspiration for young athletes across the country. Wishing him continued success in his cricketing journey."
A Year of Shattering Records
Vaibhav has been consistently rewriting the record books over the past year. His groundbreaking achievement came when he became the youngest player ever to score a century in men's List A cricket. He reached this milestone during a Vijay Hazare Trophy Plate League match against Arunachal Pradesh, scoring his first senior non-T20 hundred in a mere 36 balls at the age of 14 years and 272 days.
His journey to national attention began last year when he became the youngest cricketer to secure an IPL contract, snapped up by the Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore. He then stunned the cricketing world in IPL 2025 by smashing a sensational century against Gujarat Titans. That innings made him the youngest centurion in T20 cricket history and the fastest Indian to reach an IPL hundred, achieving the feat in just 35 deliveries.
Dominance on the Global Stage
The prodigy's phenomenal form continued during the India Under-19 tour of England, where he blasted the fastest century in Under-19 ODI history. He scored a devastating 143 runs off 78 balls, with his hundred coming in only 52 deliveries, showcasing his aggressive and confident batting style. Adding another feather to his cap last month, Vaibhav became the youngest player to score a century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, hammering 108 runs against Maharashtra.
This series of extraordinary accomplishments, culminating in the prestigious Bal Puraskar, firmly establishes Vaibhav Suryavanshi not just as a promising talent, but as a young athlete who is already delivering on the biggest stages. His story is a powerful testament to the new generation of Indian cricketers ready to take the world by storm.
