No driving licence yet, but Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, gets another car

Teen cricketing star awarded for winning the Super Striker of the Season award at IPL 2025

Last updated:
Jai Rai, Assistant Editor
No driving licence yet, but Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, gets another car
X

Dubai: At just 14 years old, Vaibhav Suryavanshi is still four years away from being legally allowed to drive in India — but that hasn’t stopped the cars from rolling in.

The teenage cricket sensation recently won a brand-new SUV from Tata Motors after winning the Super Striker of the Season award at IPL 2025, given to the player who posts the highest strike rate in a season among those facing a minimum of 100 balls.

Playing for Rajasthan Royals, he smashed 252 runs at a strike rate of 206.6, cementing his reputation as one of the most explosive young batters in world cricket.

A video shared by the car manufacturer showed the youngster and his family receiving the white SUV in Patna.

What made it truly special, though, was what Vaibhav did next. Rather than keeping the prize for himself, he handed the keys to his mother. “This is the first gift I am giving to my mom,” he said, visibly emotional.

Earlier in the season, a video shared by the Rajasthan Royals had shed light on the extraordinary sacrifices she makes — waking up at 2am after just three hours of sleep to cook and prepare everything for his training sessions. As Vaibhav himself put it, she sleeps at 11pm and is up again before the rest of the world has stirred.

Rs5 million cash prize

Recently, Suryavanshi was also conferred Rs5 million cash prize by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. That honour came after Suryavanshi’s heroics helped India clinch a record extending 6th U19 World Cup title. The 14-year-old smashed a breathtaking century in the final and was awarded the player of the tournament.

This isn’t the first time Suryavanshi has been gifted a luxury car. Earlier in the season, Rajasthan Royals owner Ranjit Barthakur — an Indian businessman from Jorhat, Assam, and Executive Chairman of Royal Multisport Pvt. Ltd. — presented him with a Mercedes-Benz following a stunning century against Gujarat Titans at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. That knock, scored off just 35 balls, was the fastest by an Indian in IPL history and the second-fastest ever in the tournament.

That innings made Suryavanshi both the youngest centurion and the youngest debutant to score a hundred in IPL history. Rajasthan Royals had signed him for Rs1.1 million making him the youngest player ever acquired in the league’s history.

Jai Rai
Jai RaiAssistant Editor
Jai is a seasoned journalist with more than two decades of experience across India and the UAE, specialising in sports reporting. Throughout his distinguished career, he has had the privilege of covering some of the biggest names and events in sports, including cricket, tennis, Formula 1 and golf. A former first-division cricket league captain himself, he brings not only a deep understanding of the game but also a cricketer's discipline to his work. His unique blend of athletic insight and journalistic expertise gives him a wide-ranging perspective that enriches his storytelling, making his coverage both detailed and engaging. Driven by an unrelenting passion for sports, he continues to craft compelling narratives that resonate with readers. As the day winds down for most, he begins his work, ensuring that the most captivating stories make it to the print edition in time for readers to receive them bright and early the next morning.

Get Updates on Topics You Choose

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Up Next