PM Modi Meets 14-Year-Old IPL Star Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Praises Record-Breaking Century
The Prime Minister met the Rajasthan Royals' teenage sensation at Patna Airport, days after his 38-ball century made IPL history and rewrote T20 records.
PATNA/NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday briefly met Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old cricket prodigy who has taken the 2025 IPL season by storm, during a transit stop at Patna Airport. The meeting, captured in photos later shared by Modi on his X account, sparked widespread attention as the teenage batsman continues to rewrite records in professional cricket.
At Patna airport, met the young cricketing sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his family. His cricketing skills are being admired all over the nation! My best wishes to him for his future endeavours. pic.twitter.com/pvUrbzdyU6
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 30, 2025
Modi, known for acknowledging rising talent across fields, posted two images from the airport lounge encounter, praising the young cricketer’s commitment and rare talent. “At Patna airport, met the young cricketing sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his family. His cricketing skills are being admired all over the nation! My best wishes to him for his future endeavours,” the Prime Minister wrote.
The post, simple in tone but rich in symbolism, quickly went viral, with a surge of engagement across platforms, as political leaders and cricket fans alike welcomed the Prime Minister’s gesture of recognition.
IPL’s Youngest Centurion Draws National Spotlight
Representing the Rajasthan Royals, Suryavanshi has scored 252 runs in seven matches, but it was a breathtaking innings against the Gujarat Titans that changed everything. His 38-ball century not only made him the youngest player to score a hundred in men’s T20 cricket, but also registered as the second-fastest century in IPL history.
According to match data, he also recorded the highest boundary percentage ever achieved in a T20 hundred during that innings, dominating bowlers with precision and flair. For a player still early in his teenage years, such achievements have stunned cricketing circles.
The innings has been replayed across news channels, dissected by analysts, and celebrated by legends of the sport. Many have pointed to his calm at the crease and control over pace bowling as indicators of a future great in the making.
Recognition Beyond the Pitch by PM Modi
The Prime Minister’s meeting, though informal, is being seen as a validation of the teenager’s place in the national conversation. It’s not every day that a sitting PM publicly praises a player barely out of school. The timing also suggests a broader effort to promote sports talent from non-metropolitan regions.
Born and raised in Bihar, Suryavanshi trained in local academies before gaining attention through age-group tournaments. By age 12, he was already facing older competition, and by 14, he had been drafted into the Royals’ squad as a long-term prospect—though few expected him to be match-ready so soon.
Behind the scenes, coaches at Rajasthan Royals say his growth has been quietly spectacular. “He watches the ball better than most adults we’ve coached,” one batting consultant said. “You don’t see that kind of timing at this age.”
Managing Fame, Maintaining Form
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to issue a formal comment on the Prime Minister’s meeting with Suryavanshi, but insiders say the board is monitoring his workload and physical development closely. The National Cricket Academy (NCA) has been involved in fitness assessments and developmental planning.
“The talent is exceptional, but so is the need to protect it,” said a senior BCCI official. “No one wants to see a burnout case. The goal is to give him a pathway that balances opportunity with support.”
Team sources also confirmed that the franchise has limited media interactions for Suryavanshi, focusing instead on ensuring he remains grounded amid the soaring attention.
Echoes Across the Cricketing World
Reactions to the airport meeting poured in from across the cricketing spectrum. Former India coach Ravi Shastri called it “a well-deserved nod to a rare talent.” Writing for a sports network, Shastri noted, “This is what makes cricket in India special—every so often, someone unknown steps in and shifts the ceiling.”
Veteran batsman Sunil Gavaskar, in a recent television segment, praised the youngster’s technical skill, saying it reminded him of how Sachin Tendulkar first appeared in domestic cricket: “You see it once in a generation.”
Team India’s current captain Rohit Sharma, when asked about Suryavanshi after an international match, said, “He’s got everyone talking. Let’s just give him space to grow, but yeah—it’s exciting.”
Symbol of a Changing Landscape
Suryavanshi’s rapid ascent has added to a growing list of young Indian athletes challenging age barriers. But his case is unique not just for his age, but for the maturity with which he handles success. His family, who have stayed largely out of the spotlight, are said to be deeply moved by the Prime Minister’s recognition.
As the IPL heads into its final stretch, all eyes will remain on how the Royals deploy their new asset. With playoff contention on the line, Suryavanshi’s next innings may come with even greater scrutiny—and expectations.
Still, for a young boy from small-town Bihar, Thursday’s meeting with the Prime Minister may serve as both validation and inspiration. A photo that captured a moment in transit may, in time, come to represent the beginning of something much larger—for Indian cricket, and for Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Written by Amit S. | Published on 30 May 2025 | Source: X/@narendramodi
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