Days after a painful failure in the Asia Cup final, Vaibhav Suryavanshi announced his comeback in emphatic fashion by becoming the second fastest List A century by an Indian in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The 14-year-old smashed a breathtaking 36-ball hundred for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh in Ranchi, stealing the limelight on a day dominated by the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
While much of the pre-match hype revolved around India’s senior stars, Suryavanshi ensured the story moved quickly once the game began. Batting first after winning the toss, Bihar ran out of the blocks with the teenager at his explosive best and smashed the Arunachal attack with fearless pull play. At the time of writing, Suryavanshi had already crossed the 150-run mark, turning the contest into a one-sided affair.
Only Anmolpreet Singh’s 35-ball hundred for Punjab in 2024 stands ahead of Suryavanshi in the list of fastest List A centuries by an Indian. His innings was marked by clean hitting, sharp placement and an authority that belied his age, underlining why he continues to be regarded as one of the most exciting young batsmen in the country.
List of fastest A century by an Indian:
- 35 balls: Anmolpreet Singh (Punjab)
- 36 balls: Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Bihar)
- 40 balls: Yusuf Pathan (Baroda)
- 41 balls: Urvil Patel (Gujarat)
- 42 balls: Abhishek Sharma (Punjab)
The knocking took on additional meaning given what had transpired only a few days earlier. In the Under-19 Asia Cup final against Pakistan, Suryavanshi endured an off day as he quickly fell for 26 off 10 balls chasing a steep target. His dismissal coincided with India’s collapse and a heated exchange with Pakistan fast bowler Ali Raza, followed by visible gestures of frustration, drew criticism and sparked debate about his maturity.
Despite this disappointment, Suryavanshi still finished the tournament with 261 runs, highlighting his overall impact throughout the competition. Vijay Hazare’s performance in Ranchi served as a timely response, shifting the focus back to his batting rather than the noise surrounding it.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
December 24, 2025
