Teen prodigy lights up youth Test against Australia

A wonderkid Indian teenager who is reportedly just 13 years old has torched Australia’s Under-19s, smashing one of the fastest centuries in international youth cricket.

The first youth Test between India and Australia is in the balance after Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s blistering ton from gave the hosts a slender three-run first-innings lead in Chennai. 

Resuming day two on 81 not out, opener Vaibhav zoomed to his century after only a handful of overs and reached the milestone off only 58 deliveries.

It's the second-fastest century on record in U19 multi-day matches, just falling short of Moeen Ali's 56-ball ton against Sri Lanka in 2005.

Making Vaibhav's feat all the more impressive is his reported age – only 13 years and 188 days according to EPSNcricinfo.

It has been suggested he is the youngest international century-maker at any level.

The young left-hander who idolises Brian Lare boldly suggested the Australian attack, made up of bowlers who are all five years older than him, did not pose many concerns on the famous Chepauk surface.

"Honestly, I never feel threatened," Vaibhav told the Indian Express. "Be it fast bowlers or spinners, I love to hit them. My mindset is like that."

Vaibhav has remarkably already made his first-class Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar (bordering Nepal in north-east India) earlier this year.

He was however left out of the preceding one-day series against Australia, which the hosts won 3-0.

India had 14 overs to bat before stumps on the first day after the visitors had been bowled out for 293 in 71.4 overs with Aiden O'Connor top scoring with 61.

Rather than looking to play defensively until the close, Vaibhav was happy to throw his hands at anything outside the off stump, scoring several boundaries over the slips cordon and through cover point.

He even came down the wicket to off-spinner Thomas Brown and hit him for a straight six.

"I didn’t go there looking to play aggressively,” Vaibhav said.

"Since we came to bat towards the end of day one, I knew they would attack with the new ball, and since they had attacking field positions, there were runs for the taking.

"My plan is always simple – if the ball is there to be hit, hit it. Don’t be in double mind."

Vaibhav's innings ended shortly after his century, runout from a direct hit from the deep by Christian Howe after the opener failed to slide his bat.

The Aussies mounted a strong comeback after that 133-run opening stand, with Brown hitting back with 3-79 including the wickets of top-order batters Nitya Pandya and KP Karthikeya.

Leg-spinner Vishwa Ramkumar struck regularly too, taking 4-79. India's lower-order crumbled, losing their last six wickets for 36 runs.

Australia progressed to 4-110 in their second innings when stumps was called on day two, after solid contributions from Riley Kingsell (48) and captain Oliver Peake (32), a lead of 107 runs.

_{Main image credit: Ragu R / The Hindu}