Shikhar Dhawan hails Vaibhav Suryavanshi's 'phenomenal' IPL ton
Rajasthan Royals' 14-year-old Suryavanshi set the IPL ablaze by becoming the youngest player to score a century in the tournament
New Delhi, Apr 30 (PTI) Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan on Wednesday lauded teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi for his fearless IPL hundred, saying the 14-year-old's confidence belies his age and his performance will inspire aspiring cricketers across the country.
Rajasthan Royals' Suryavanshi set the IPL ablaze by becoming the youngest player to score a century in the tournament. His 35-ball hundred against table-toppers Gujarat Titans was also the second-fastest in league history.
“It’s a great performance indeed, the way he batted was just phenomenal. The big thing is not that he is just 14, the greater thing in that is his self-confidence at such a tender age,” said Dhawan on the sidelines of the Intercontinental Legends Championship (ILC) launch.
The baby-faced big-hitter from Bihar’s Samastipur hammered 11 towering sixes and seven fours, accumulating 94 of his 101 runs in boundaries.
His innings was the fastest by any RR batter, breaking Yusuf Pathan’s 15-year-old record of a 37-ball hundred against Mumbai Indians.
“The way he dominated the bowlers that night who have a name in international cricket is a great achievement indeed…the country should be proud and it will inspire other youngsters in the country,” Dhawan said.
Dhawan, the first player to hit back-to-back centuries in the IPL, was also impressed with other youngsters, including Ayush Mhatre, who have made a mark this season.
“It is great to see these players—someone is 14, another is 17—playing in the Indian Premier League. To see these boys achieve success at such a young age is great to see,” said Dhawan.
The 39-year-old also condemned the recent terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, expressing heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and backing the government's response.
“I have no words for what happened in Pahalgam… I have full faith in our government that they’ll be planning something to counter this. I have my full condolences with the families of the victims. It was heart-wrenching indeed,” said Dhawan.
Dhawan was the guest of honour at the launch of the Intercontinental Legends Championship (ILC), which has been co-founded by U-19 Cricket World Cup winner and former Delhi Ranji player Pardeep Sangwan.
“I had envisioned this league since the day I retired... Shikhar (Dhawan) bhai, Praveen (Kumar) bhai, Parvinder Awana and Pawan Negi—thank you for extending your warm support, along with the sponsors who believed in us,” said Sangwan.
Congratulating Sangwan on the initiative, Dhawan said: “I want to extend my heartiest congratulations to Pardeep (Sangwan) and his team for organising ILC. In such leagues, the pressure is relatively high because we play for respect. The competition will be tough.”
The Intercontinental Legends Championship begins on May 27 and will conclude on June 5, 2025. Six teams will participate in the competition — India Warriors, Asian Kings, Euro Gladiators, Trans Titans, African Lions and American Strikers. PTI