6 days Ago
Vaibhav Suryavanshi announced his arrival in style earlier this month by smashing a stunning six in the first ball of his IPL career. After hitting the ball from Shardul Thakur, he sent veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar soaring with a monstrous hit into the stands. And on Monday, he etched his name in the record books by scoring a century in just 35 balls to become the fastest by an Indian in IPL history.
But it’s not just raw talent that has propelled Vaibhav to such heights so early in his career. Behind the fireworks is a young player wise beyond his years, fully aware of the sacrifices needed to chase his dream. His childhood coach Manoj Ojha recalls how Vaibhav, a left-handed batter, once had a big appetite for mutton and pizza, indulgences that had to be cut from his diet to help him maintain peak fitness.
"He’s not allowed to eat mutton and pizza. It's forbidden in his diet chart," Ojha told media. “He is just fond of chicken and mutton.
He is a kid, so he used to love pizza a lot. But he doesn’t eat it anymore. When we used to give him mutton, no matter how much we gave, he would finish all of it.
That’s why he looks a bit chubby." "As a coach, it is a proud moment for me. For a state like Bihar, which is not strong in sports, it is like ray of sunlight.
He would have motivated many people, he has put Bihar on the map of cricket in India," Ojha told PTI videos. "I feel that if he continues to play like this, he will definitely break into India's T20 squad in 1-2 years." Suryavanshi has already played for India U-19s and made his first-class debut in January 2024.
Ojha said Suryavanshi is a naturally gifted cricketer with a crystal clear thought process. "We have coached him, but he had the natural gifts. He has a learning attitude, whatever is suggested to him, he learns immediately.
He has been a very aggressive player since beginning. He likes to play shots. "Two years back at the academy, there was a practice session, I told him why don't you take ones and twos, he said that 'if I can hit sixes, there is no need for singles'.
"He had clarity in mind from an early stage. He has a clear thought process on how to play, how to approach the game," the coach added. (With PTI inputs).
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