14-year-old cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi is the new rising star after his record-breaking performances in IPL 2025. The young man gained considerable attention in the Indian Premier League following his spectacular 35-ball century for the Rajasthan Royals against the Gujarat Titans on Monday. With that century, he also became the youngest centurion in the IPL’s history.
Age fraud controversy of Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Former cricketer Junaid Khan and critics raised doubts about Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s age. The youngest debutant in the history of the IPL had to face the allegations. The controversy heightened over a 2017 photo of Vaibhav. Also, due to his IPL auction price of Rs 1.10 crore. Maturity in his innings raised doubts about the age of the teenager, many believed that he was more than 14 years old.
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An interview video with BNN News, uploaded in April 2023, made things worse. In the clip, the youngster states he would turn 14 that September. This did not match the official records, where his date of birth is listed as March 27, 2011.
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Despite the allegations, Vaibhav continues to shine in the field with his outstanding performances. His family has been backing him by staunchly rejecting age fraud claims.
This Is 2 Years Old Video, Vaibhav Suryavanshi said Sept will Come Iam Turn Into age 14…🤯🤯🤯
Vaibhav Suryavanshi Cheated With His Age…..?????🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️
Note : Iam Not A Hater Of That Boy#RRvsGT #vaibhavsuryavanshi pic.twitter.com/a40lJ0vYIr
— Rxᴅ_Uᴅʜᴀʏᴀɴツღ (@Itz_Rxd1) April 28, 2025
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Vaibhav’s father, Sanjiv Suryavanshi, backed the legitimacy of his age, referring to official bone tests conducted by BCCI
Former Pakistan cricketer Junaid Khan charged Vaibhav with age fraud and questioned the ability of a 13-year-old to possess such power, particularly after observing his performance in the U-19 Asia Cup.
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Vaibhav’s father, Sanjiv Suryavanshi, responded to the blame by firmly defending his son. He referred to official bone tests conducted since Vaibhav was eight years old, backing the legitimacy of his age. Sanjiv clarified that his son had undergone a BCCI-approved bone test when he was eight, which officially confirmed his age. This test is often used to verify the age of young cricketers.
Vaibhav’s selection for the India U-19 team also raised suspicions
Critics questioned whether a player at such a young age could compete at such a level, especially in international tournaments. With a viral image from 2017 of a six-year-old Vaibhav supporting Rising Pune Supergiants, the age-related debates among fans and critics resurfaced. Amidst the age controversy, Vaibhav’s father, Sanjiv, added emotional weight to the debate, revealing that he had sold his farmland to fund his son’s cricketing dream.
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Vaibhav’s fast IPL fifty and T20 century, and other extraordinary achievements, led to further scrutiny. Critics argue that Vaibhav’s physical maturity seems beyond what’s expected of a 14-year-old.
Rajasthan Royals paid a staggering Rs 1.10 crore for Vaibhav in the IPL 2025 auction
During the IPL 2025 auction, RR paid Rs 1.10 crore for Vaibhav, which intensified suspicions about his real age. Many questioned if a teenager could be worth such a large sum. Speaking in interviews, Vaibhav’s father stated that the family had never concealed anything and highlighted their confidence in Vaibhav’s eligibility based on official tests.
LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka also backed Suryavanshi
Goenka uploaded a picture on X of a 6-year-old Suryavanshi, with his father at an IPL game in 2017. This implies that the RR batter is indeed 14 years old in 2025.
Goenka captioned the tweet,
“Last night I watched in awe… this morning I came across this photo of 6-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi cheering for my then team, Rising Pune Supergiant, in 2017. Thanks Vaibhav. Lots of good wishes and support (sic).”
Last night I watched in awe… this morning I came across this photo of 6-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi cheering for my then team, Rising Pune Supergiant, in 2017.
Thanks Vaibhav. Lots of good wishes and support. pic.twitter.com/hlS5ieiB4O
— Dr. Sanjiv Goenka (@DrSanjivGoenka) April 29, 2025
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What are your opinions on Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s age? Let us know in the comments.
