Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old Indian prodigy, made a scintillating debut in the first Youth ODI against England U19, held at the County Ground in Hove on Friday. Opening the innings alongside captain Ayush Mhatre, Suryavanshi unleashed a whirlwind blitz, smashing 48 runs off just 19 deliveries. His aggressive innings was studded with three fours and five towering sixes, providing India U19 with a lightning start in their chase of 175.

Suryavanshi's explosive batting approach immediately put the English bowlers under pressure. He announced his arrival by hitting a four off the second ball he faced and followed it up with two successive sixes against Jack Home. He particularly punished anything pitched short or full, showcasing his excellent cricketing sense and timing. Of his 48 runs, 42 came in boundaries.

However, Suryavanshi's innings was cut short in the 8th over when he was caught by Tazeem Chaudry Ali off the bowling of Ralphie Albert, missing his half-century by just two runs. Despite the dismissal, Suryavanshi had already done significant damage, scoring 48 of the 71-run opening partnership with Mhatre.

Suryavanshi's knock follows a string of impressive performances that have catapulted him into the limelight. He first gained attention last year when he scored a century in a youth Test against Australia. This year, his explosive batting earned him an IPL contract with the Rajasthan Royals. He further cemented his reputation by smashing a 38-ball century against Gujarat Titans, the second-fastest in IPL history. During that innings, he equaled the record for most sixes in an IPL innings by an Indian, with 11.

The young left-handed batter has been compared to Sachin Tendulkar by former England pacer Ryan Sidebottom. Suryavanshi's journey began at the age of four, with initial coaching from his father. He later joined a cricket academy in Samastipur at nine. Before his IPL debut, Suryavanshi made his first-class debut for Bihar in January 2024 and has also represented India in the U19 Asia Cup.

While Suryavanshi couldn’t convert his quick start into a larger score in the first Youth ODI, his powerful hitting and fearless approach have made a strong statement. He has demonstrated the ability to take charge and put pressure on the opposition from the outset. Although his dismissal opened a window for English bowlers to attack, India U19 ultimately cruised to a six-wicket victory, with Abhigyan Kundu sealing the win with a six.

In the same match, England U19 were bowled out for 174, with Rocky Flintoff, son of former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, top-scoring with 56. Kanishk Chouhan led the Indian bowling attack with 3 for 20. Captain Ayush Mhatre, who has IPL experience with Chennai Super Kings, contributed 21 runs.