Hayden’s Unforgettable Reaction to Suryavanshi’s 35-Ball Ton
Australian legend Matthew Hayden couldn’t believe what he saw when 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi hammered Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma deep into the stands. The teenager’s 35-ball hundred in Jaipur stunned the cricketing world, making him the youngest IPL centurion ever.
Suryavanshi’s rise has been nothing short of sensational. He was just 13 when Rajasthan Royals signed him for ₹1.1 crore. Months later, he silenced doubters by smashing a century against Gujarat Titans. He then piled on 143 against England U-19 and 104 off 62 balls against Australia U-19 in Chennai, proving he thrives on big stages.
35-Ball Hundred That Left Legends Speechless
On April 28, Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium witnessed a spectacle. Suryavanshi’s bat lit up the night as he smashed 101 runs with seven boundaries and 11 sixes. He dismantled experienced Indian pacers with ease and powered Royals to chase 210 inside just 16 overs.
Commentator Ravi Shastri, who was on air that night, shared Hayden’s stunned reaction. “I was amazed; I was on air in that game in Jaipur. I went on air in the 4th over, and I did two stints in a row because we were one commentator short by that time. By the 9th, 10th over, he had gotten to his 100, and he had smacked it. He was hitting Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma 10 rows back over extra cover and midwicket. Haydos (Matthew Hayden) was there, and he said, ‘Oh he can’t be 14’, and I said, ‘Come on, calm down’,” Shastri said on the Willow Talk show on the LiSTNR Sport podcast.
Shastri Cautions Against Early Pressure
Suryavanshi’s talent has caught global attention, but Ravi Shastri believes this is the most delicate phase of his young career.
“That now for him is the toughest period. Because he’s made such an impression and such a young age, much like Sachin. Now, in the next 2-3 years, he needs someone to guide him because you can go off the rails very quickly. It can go into your head; expectations are high, you may not be able to handle it. This is where someone has to go and tell him, ‘You are bound to fail at some stage’. This game is a leveller. So don’t be upset. It’s a part and parcel of life, but you stick to what you’re doing, and once you start embracing failure, take it in your stride, that is when you’ll do well. But this is an important period for him,” Shastri said.
Comparisons with Legends Tendulkar and Kohli
Suryavanshi’s extraordinary feats have triggered comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, but Shastri insists it’s too early to draw parallels.
“There’s no question but you have to see how good those guys were at that age. So, if this guy is that good, there’s no reason why he can’t be asked to play the 4-day game. Let him work out his own way of striking the balance because what it will certainly do is it will help him keep the good ball out. He’ll have to defend a lot more, tighten his technique, which will then help him. Then he’ll figure out which bowler to see off, which one to target. It’s about keeping the good ones out and respecting the conditions at time,” he explained.
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