In a historic feat, 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi etched his name in the annals of Indian cricket by becoming the youngest player to feature in a List-A match. The prodigy represented Bihar against Madhya Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25.
At just 13 years and 269 days, Vaibhav broke the longstanding record of Ali Akbar, who debuted for Vidarbha in the 1999-2000 season at 14 years and 51 days. This milestone adds to Vaibhav’s growing list of achievements. Last month, he became the youngest player to earn an IPL contract, joining Rajasthan Royals at the IPL 2025 auction.
However, Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s List-A debut didn’t go as planned. After hitting a boundary off the first ball, he was dismissed on the very next delivery by Aryan Anand Pandey, scoring just 4 runs. Bihar managed a modest total of 196, which Madhya Pradesh chased down comfortably. RCB star Rajat Patidar contributed a solid half-century, while KKR's 23.75 crore signing Venkatesh Iyer remained unbeaten to seal the win.
Suryavanshi earned his maiden IPL contract in November, being picked up by Rajasthan Royals. Under the mentorship of legendary batter and coach Rahul Dravid at RR, the youngster aims to hone his skills further.
He also showcased his talent in the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup, scoring 176 runs across five matches at an average of 76 and an impressive strike rate of 145.
Earlier this year, he made his Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar, becoming the youngest Indian to play first-class cricket in the modern era. Vaibhav also holds the title of the youngest Indian to represent the Under-19 team, with a record-breaking 58-ball century against Australia in youth Tests—the fastest by an Indian and the second-fastest overall.
In the ACC U19 Asia Cup 2024, Vaibhav played a pivotal role in India’s journey to the final, scoring two half-centuries, including a blistering 36-ball 67 in the semifinals against Sri Lanka.
While his List-A debut wasn’t ideal—scoring just four runs as Bihar lost to MP by six wickets—Vaibhav aims to bounce back in their next game against Tripura on Monday.
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