Vaibhav Suryavanshi's record-breaking spree continues in 2026, Rishabh Pant's eight-year-old feat becomes thing of past

Vaibhav Suryavanshi breaks Rishabh Pant's record, which stood tall for eight years. What a fantastic start to 2026 for the 14-year-old.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, kicked off 2026 with a bang as he hit a whirlwind half-century in the 2nd Youth ODI of the three-match series against South Africa U19 at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni. The left-handed batter, who is leading India U19 in the absence of Ayush Mhatre, slammed a fifty off just 15 balls, blowing the wind out of South Africa's bowling attack, and as a result, he recorded the fastest-ever fifty in a Youth ODI. The stand-in captain eventually was dismissed for 68 from 24 balls, which saw him hit one boundary and 10 sixes.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi breaks Rishabh Pant's record, which stood tall for eight years (Reuters)

With this knock, Suryavanshi broke Rishabh Pant's record for the fastest fifty in a Youth ODI. Earlier, the left-handed batter had hit a half-century off just 18 balls in the 2016 U19 World Cup against Nepal in Dhaka.

Just like the first ODI, rain played spoilsport in the second game as well, but Suryavanshi's innings helped the visitors stay ahead and register a win, thanks to the Duckworth-Lewis Method. With this victory, India U19 also gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

It is worth mentioning that the ongoing series presents an opportunity for both India and South Africa to prepare for the U19 World Cup. The competition is set to begin on January 15, and India is placed in Group B alongside the USA, Bangladesh and New Zealand. India will begin their campaign on January 15 against the USA at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

Suryavanshi's record-breaking spree

Last year, Suryavanshi also recorded the fastest hundred at the young level by reaching the three-figure mark in just 52 balls against England in Worcester.

The performances of India U19 also led to Suryavanshi earning a maiden India A call-up, as he travelled with the team for the Rising Stars Asia Cup, where the Jitesh Sharma-led side made it to the semifinals.

Suryavanshi captured the imagination of fans worldwide with the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year, hitting a 35-ball century for Rajasthan Royals while playing against Shubman Gill's Gujarat Titans. Suryavanshi recorded the fastest century by an Indian in the tournament.

Before the series against South Africa, Suryavanshi represented Bihar in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as well.