Bihar’s Vaibhav Suryavanshi, at just 12 years and 284 days old, recently achieved the distinction of being the fourth-youngest Indian cricketer to make his debut in a recorded first-class match during the Ranji Trophy 2023-24. This places him in the company of Alimuddin, SK Bose, and Mohammad Ramzan, who hold the top three spots in this unique record.
Suryavanshi showcased his cricketing prowess in the 2023 Cooch Behar Trophy, where he made a significant impact for Bihar. Notably, in a match against Jharkhand, he exhibited remarkable batting skills by scoring 151 runs off 128 balls, including 22 fours and three sixes. This stellar performance earned him recognition and set the stage for his debut in the prestigious Ranji Trophy.
His participation in a quadrangular series involving India U19 A, India U19 B, England U19, and Bangladesh U19 further demonstrated his cricketing potential, with consistent contributions to the team. Suryavanshi’s father, Sanjeev Suryavanshi, expressed immense pride in his son’s achievements, emphasizing the significance of playing against established cricketers like Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, and Dhawal Kulkarni.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi of Bihar makes his first-class debut at the age of 12 years and 284 days. He is playing in a Ranji Trophy encounter against Mumbai.#RanjiTrophy #CricketTwitter
— 100MB (@100MasterBlastr) January 5, 2024
Image courtesy: Vaibhav Suryavanshi Instagram pic.twitter.com/d88skTH0F2
Sanjeev shared the journey of nurturing Vaibhav’s cricketing talent from a young age. Having noticed his son’s interest in the sport at the age of 5, he actively guided Vaibhav, who began playing with senior players at the age of 10. Dedicated training in Samastipur and later in Patna paved the way for Vaibhav’s early entry into Ranji cricket for Bihar.
Reflecting on historical precedents, Alimuddin, who made his debut in 1942-43 at the age of 12 years and 73 days, remains the youngest first-class debutant. SK Bose and Mohammad Ramzan also made significant contributions, debuting at the ages of 12 years and 76 days and 12 years and 247 days, respectively.
The rarity of such early debuts in first-class cricket is highlighted by the fact that only nine players, including Aaqib Javed, Mohammad Akram, Rizwan Sattar, Salimuddin, and Qasim Feroze, achieved this feat before turning 13. This underscores the exceptional nature of Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s accomplishments and signals a promising future for the young cricketer on the Indian cricketing landscape.
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