Vaibhav Suryavanshi becomes the youngest centurion in men’s List A cricket

Historians enjoy recording – he attacked the opposition bowlers with the same power and determination of a 28-year-old batsman and, in doing so, entered into the record books. Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 190 runs from 84 balls, which included a 36-ball century and a phenomenal 54-ball 150; it was not only an outstanding performance during this year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Arunachal Pradesh, but it also established him as the youngest player to score a century in men’s List A cricket history.

There is something unusual about the games in which new stars come to the forefront; they tend to have an unquantifiable element that makes them stand out among other games. The focus tends to be on the performance of the batsman rather than the game as a whole, simply because at the age of 14 years, most players are still playing school-level cricket. They are not necessarily preparing for a future cricket career. Therefore, when someone like Vaibhav Suryavanshi shows up and plays fearless cricket without any regard to the fact that he is only 14 years old and has not had any prior experience playing at such a high level. The commentators were left scrambling to find comparisons. The statisticians were double-checking their sheets.

The match was a numerical and visual demonstration of his pure dominance with an aggregate score of 190 off 84 balls, including 16 fours and 15 sixes, and a strike rate well in excess of 226. His score was achieved with free-flowing strokes, which provided insight into not only his incredible timing for the ball but also his execution of shots using a variety of styles, from traditional to unconventional methods. Some could be classified as “wow” shots associated more with T20 than with this batting format.

Regarding the world at large, it’s quite different from what was originally intended. The Vijay Hazare Trophy represents India’s top-level domestic 50-over tournament, now crowded with international stars and a spotlight that stretches to selectors and media. For Suryavanshi, in addition to being an opportunity to showcase his ability, the publicity generated by this event also sent out a clear message to everyone else in the Indian domestic circuit. There is much more to come from players developing in various Indian state teams who will have a chance to play at the national level in the future. In addition, the tournament itself only adds another chapter to the global cricketing story, since it’s generated interest beyond the average cricket fan through media outlets around the world.

As with all record-setting performances in cricket, they exist in a comparative context, as has been noted by various media outlets in respect of how many records Suryavanshi has now broken previously in regard to fastest 150s. In addition, every historical “youngest” list. The more pressing issue is that performances of this nature establish new benchmarks in professional cricket. Every player who achieves a score of 190 in 84 balls in a senior professional match will create an innings of extraordinary form and power with exceptional match awareness. The statistical breakdown of Suryavanshi’s innings illustrates the scale of the innings and the extreme level of entertainment that can be derived from viewing this innings in its entirety. Suryavanshi scored 100 off 36 balls and 150 off 54 balls, while hitting 16 fours and 15 sixes.