Inspired by Vaibhav Suryavanshi, his 13-year-old friend smashes 327 in 134 balls

India Today

5 hours ago

Inspired by his friend Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 13-year-old Ayan Raj has made headlines after scoring an unbeaten 327 runs off just 134 balls in a district cricket match in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Playing a 30-over match, IPL fame Vaibhav's friend slammed 22 sixes and 41 fours. He was playing for Sanskriti Cricket Academy. Raj's extraordinary innings included 296 of his runs coming through boundaries alone.advertisementThe young batter's strike rate stood at an astonishing 220.89 as he dominated the opposition in a display of clean hitting and composure well beyond his age. Raj's performance comes just a month after his friend, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, displayed an exceptional rookie season in the Indian Premier League.Playing for Rajasthan Royals, Vaibhav recorded the fastest century by an Indian batter in the history of the tournament. He smashed a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans in the recently concluded tournament, shocking the cricket watchers in the world.
Raj revealed that the two share a close bond, and that he has always looked up to Suryavanshi, who has recently drawn comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar due to his performances.'Every time I talk to Vaibhav bhai, I get a special feeling. We used to play together when we were younger. Today, he has made a big name for himself, and I'm also following in his footsteps,' Raj told News18 in an interview.advertisementCricket runs in the Raj household. His father, a former cricketer, once dreamed of representing India, a goal now passed down to his son. With the backing of his family, Ayan Raj has set his sights firmly on fulfilling that ambition.Suryavanshi Wants to Double Down on IPL SuccessRajasthan Royals' teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi has vowed to double his efforts in the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), with the goal of helping his team reach the final. The 14-year-old made headlines in IPL 2025 with an electrifying debut, smashing a six off his very first ball in the tournament and later scoring a stunning 35-ball century—the fastest ever by an Indian in IPL history.Suryavanshi ended his debut season with 252 runs in seven innings, averaging 36 with a strike rate of 206.55. His explosive performances included one century and one fifty, earning him the 'Super Striker of the Season' award for maintaining the highest strike rate.Reflecting on his impactful first season, Suryavanshi said he is determined to elevate his game further to help Rajasthan go all the way next year."The key learning is that whatever I did this season, I have to do it better next time—not just better, but twice as good—so that my team makes it to the finals next year. I will focus on how I can contribute as much as possible toward that goal," he said in a video shared on the IPL website.advertisementLooking ahead, the young batter added that he plans to work on the areas where he fell short and build on the positives from his maiden campaign."Playing in the IPL is like a dream for everyone, and this was my first season. I gained a lot of positives from it. Next season, I'll try to do even more for the team. I also got to learn a lot, so I'll work on the areas where I fell short this year and try to perform even better next year for the team," he added.