IPL's 14-year-old debutant Vaibhav Suryavanshi shines but Rajasthan falter at finish line

Lucknow Super Giants clinch two-run win despite young opener's heroics

Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Suryavanshi, right, made a memorable IPL debut against Lucknow Super Giants at the age of just 14. AFP

Vaibhav Suryavanshi etched his name in IPL history on Saturday as the left-handed opener became the youngest player in the tournament's history.

Suryavanshi, just 14 years of age, made it a memorable debut as he starred in a thrilling opening stand for Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur.

Brought on as an impact substitute while chasing a target of 181, Suryavanshi showed why a young kid had been fast tracked to the IPL, even as a number of senior and established names remain benched in the league.

Suryavanshi had grabbed headlines last year when he was picked up by Rajasthan during the player auction for $130,500 when he was still just 13.

On Saturday, aged 14 years and 23 days, Suryavanshi beat the previous record for the IPL's youngest debutant held by Prayas Ray Barman, who was 16 years and 157 days old when he played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2019.

The young batter made an instant impact at Rajasthan's home in Jaipur.

The teenager opened the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, with captain Sanju Samson ruled out due to injury.

Suryavanshi hit the first ball he faced for a six off pace bowler Shardul Thakur, unleashing a flat-batted hit over the extra-cover boundary.

The teenager went after the bowling and raced to 34 from 20 balls with two fours and three sixes before being stumped off South African spinner Aiden Markram.

The youngster put on 85 runs for the first wicket with fellow left-hander Jaiswal.

Suryavanshi rose to prominence with a 58-ball century in an Under-19 Test against Australia. It was the second fastest ton in youth Tests after England's Moeen Ali, who hit 100 in 56 balls in 2005.

He made his first-class debut aged 12 in January last year for his state team Bihar.

Suryavanshi and Jaiswal (74 from 52 balls) seemed to have set the game up perfectly for a routine Rajasthan win.

But Lucknow captain Rishabh Pant has made it a habit of getting the best out of his limited bowling resources and the Super Giants turned up the heat at the death over.

The Royals needed just 25 from 18 ball with Jaiswal and captain Riyan Parag (39) at the crease.

But fast bowlers Avesh Khan (3-37) and Prince Yadav bowled three tremendous death overs to steal a two-run win from the jaws of certain defeat.

Avesh in particular nailed the yorkers expertly and defended just nine runs in the final over, even with a dropped chance off the penultimate ball.

Earlier, Aiden Markram and Ayush Badoni hit fine fifties to help Lucknow post 180-5. The Super Giants would have had to settle for a much smaller total but for Abdul Samad (30 off 10) who smashed four sixes in the last over bowled by Sandeep Sharma.

That over, in the end, proved to be the difference between the teams and highlighted the value of old-fashioned death overs bowling that relies on pin-point yorkers instead of fancy slower ones or wide deliveries.

It was the second successive shock defeat for Rajasthan who somehow managed to lose in a super over against Delhi Capitals as well after being similarly well placed in the chase.