• Source:JND
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India's blue-eyed boy Vaibhav Suryavanshi announced his arrival into competitive Cricket with the fastest IPL hundred and has even continued to impress with his stunning performances during India U-19's 3-1 series win over England in the Youth ODIs. The 15-year-old, slammed 27 sixes during the series and even scored a stunning century. A statistician working with England and Wales Cricket Board, Daniel Peacock, revealed how Vaibhav has been at the 'centre of attraction' with a fan following in England.

“The first time I watched him in the flesh though, I do remember a real air of excitement at Northamptonshire for the second one-dayer – more photos, more press, the BBC had even come to see him play,” Peacock told Times Of India.

“I knew I was watching a serious star talent. He hit 86 from 31 in a 40-over game [reduced due to weather], which included six fours and nine sixes. He got a standing ovation after pulling the pacer Sebastian Morgan to backward square leg. The PA announcer, when announcing his score after the dismissal, said: ‘I think we will be seeing a lot more of this boy play.'”

“Then at New Road, home of Worcestershire, in a near-perfect all-round performance, he strutted comfortably to 143 off 78 balls. By the time he walked off after being caught in the deep to spin, I think everyone inside the venue had long realised they had just witnessed something really special.”

Peacock also added that fans in the country were travelling from far just to see Vaibhav play and some even compared him to India greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

“People are starting to make noise about him here. Cricket fans already know who he is – even if they can't all pronounce his name. These games usually attract a few die-hards, but there's certainly been a little extra media attention (we've had the likes of BBC, The Athletic, Getty, etc.), and a lot of British-Indians have come to watch Vaibhav play in the flesh for the first time,” he said.

“I'm sure it won't be too long until he's playing at the highest level – Test and international cricket. When he does make his debut and starts scoring big, everyone in the world will know who he is.”

“The people I've spoken to in the game – I think we all have the same feeling. We've watched and witnessed a young star in the making, something very special. I would go as far as to say he's probably the best 14-year-old in any sport that I've seen live. I think the sentiment in England is that we are watching a very special young boy playing cricket – and the expectancy is Tendulkar-Kohli-level, or even beyond,” Peacock concluded.