IPL 2025 has been a tournament where youth has shone the brightest. The young brigade is, of course, led by the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He had already lit up the competition with the second-fastest century in IPL history. On Tuesday (May 20), he hit 57 off 33 to ensure Rajasthan Royals (RR) ended their season with a win against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The result means CSK are almost certain to finish at the bottom of the table, the first time they will take home the wooden spoon.
The match also featured a rare battle between the IPL’s youngest and oldest players, with Suryavanshi facing off against MS Dhoni. At 43 years and 117 days, Dhoni is more than three times Suryavanshi’s callow 14 years and 54 days. In a poignant moment post-match, Suryvanshi was seen touching Dhoni’s feet during the traditional handshakes between teams.
The teenager might have been even more thrilled had he heard Dhoni’s advice to IPL’s young guns after the game.
‘Important to be the same way you have been’
Dhoni has achieved legendary status in two things in particular: his ability to keep his cool and his ability to finish games for whichever teams he has played for. When asked for his thoughts on what counsel he would give to those generations younger, he advised them the same thing he has practised.
“Don’t take that extra pressure. Once you have a good season, a lot of people expect a lot of things from you. So it’s the pressure of expectations that is set by others. What is important is to be the same way you have been,” Dhoni said. “If it’s your first season, don’t try anything different. Try to learn from some of the senior players or the coaching staff as to how you can get much more consistent.”
Dhoni added, “And it’s about reading the game. If you are an opener or a top-order batter, what is important is to finish the game. That really helps you develop as a batter. This would be my advice to all the youngsters who have done well.”
Dhoni’s words could guide many of these emerging players as they look ahead to their futures.
When asked what he personally would like to see from some of the younger players, Dhoni advocated consistency. But he was full of praise for their talent.
“I think it’s a consistency that you have to look for,” Dhoni reflected. “But the thing is, if you are looking for a 200 strike-rate, consistency is hard to get. But at the same time, these batters – I feel irrespective of whether it’s (two fielders outside) the circle, or after (more than two fielders are outside) the circle – they can hit those sixes. They play the spinners also very well. It’s just that they need to back themselves, and say, ‘Okay, I’ll look to play a long innings’.”
The youth brigade in CSK vs RR
Suryavanshi finishes the season with 252 runs in seven games. His strike rate of 206.56 is astounding. That he managed it at just 14 years old is beyond fantastic. In a quirky statistic, it was only in his final game against CSK that Suryavanshi’s run tally surpassed his season strike rate.
He is so young that his RR teammates, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel, all aged 22-23, look like veterans in comparison.
This game illustrated how well younger players have done, with the top three scores all going to the youngest players. Suryavanshi was the highest scorer, followed by Ayush Mhatre’s 43 off 20 and Dewald Brevis’ 42 off 25.
The 17-year-old Mhatre and the 21-year-old Brevis both came in to CSK as injury replacements, but both have done so well that they are looking at not just being retained for the next year, but at possibly long-term careers with CSK. Mhatre has 206 runs in six games, and he has been striking at 187.27, while Brevis has 168 runs in five games and has been striking at 164.71. They are both 1 and 2 for season strike rates among CSK batters – a measure of how refreshing they have been and how the rest have floundered.
In seasons largely forgettable for both franchises, RR and CSK can take comfort in the promise their young players have shown.
