Mumbai: Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi has triggered massive excitement across the cricketing world after his explosive IPL performances drew comparisons with legends such as Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar. The 15-year-old prodigy continued his stunning rise by hammering a brutal 97 off just 29 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL Eliminator, narrowly missing Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest century in tournament history.
Suryavanshi had already shattered Gayle’s long-standing record for the most sixes in a single IPL season and has rapidly emerged as one of the most destructive young batters the league has ever witnessed. Former cricketers and fans flooded social media with praise as the teenager’s fearless batting left bowlers helpless and opponents battered across the ground.
Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf added fuel to the growing frenzy by comparing Suryavanshi to Shahid Afridi. In a social media post, Yousuf said the teenage cricket sensation reminded him of Afridi because of his fearless, explosive and energetic style, adding that the future had already arrived. The comparison immediately triggered fierce debate online.
Like Suryavanshi, Afridi had stunned world cricket early in his career by smashing a century in just 37 balls during his maiden ODI innings in 1996. That astonishing knock remained the fastest ODI hundred for 18 years before New Zealand’s Corey Anderson broke the record with a 36-ball century in 2014. South African great AB de Villiers currently holds the record after blasting a hundred in only 31 balls in 2015.
However, many fans reacted angrily to Yousuf’s comparison, with some claiming equating Suryavanshi to Afridi was an insult to the young Indian star. One fan said comparing Suryavanshi to what he described as an average batter was the worst moment of the teenager’s career, though he added the youngster would easily overcome the negativity.
Meanwhile, Peshawar Zalmi owner and Pakistani businessman Javed Afridi also praised Suryavanshi, saying he was genuinely astonished by the teenager’s breathtaking talent and rare ability at such a young age.