Google CEO Sundar Pichai Hails Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s Sensational IPL Debut: 'Woke Up To Watch 8th Grader Play'

Google CEO Sundar Pichai made it a point not to miss the historic IPL debut of 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who featured in his first match for the Rajasthan Royals in their encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants on 19 April.

Pichai took to his official X account to commend the young cricketer's fearless display at the crease, which included a remarkable six off his very first ball, bowled by Shardul Thakur.

Photo Credit: AP/PTI

Pichai lauded Suryavanshi's performance and revealed he had woken up early specifically to catch the live action of the RR vs LSG fixture, keen to witness the debut of the Year 8 student.

His message of admiration added further to the growing buzz surrounding the teenager's entry into the IPL spotlight.

"Woke up to watch an 8th grader play in the IPL!!!! What a debut!," Pichai posted.

Woke up to watch an 8th grader play in the IPL!!!! What a debut! https://t.co/KMR7TfnVmL

— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) April 19, 2025

Opening the innings for Rajasthan in their pursuit of 181 runs, Suryavanshi stepped in for the injured Sanju Samson and formed a promising partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal. His confident shot selection thrilled the Jaipur crowd and drew praise from former players and fans alike. Commentating on JioHotstar, Sanjay Manjrekar remarked that it would undoubtedly be a proud occasion for Suryavanshi's family.

Since being acquired by RR as the youngest player in IPL auction history, anticipation surrounding Suryavanshi had been intense. On his debut, he rose to the occasion, scoring an impressive 34 off 20 deliveries. His maiden IPL outing ended when he was stumped by Rishabh Pant off the bowling of Aiden Markram.

Despite an 85-run opening stand between Suryavanshi and Jaiswal, Rajasthan's middle order failed to sustain the momentum. Their chase ultimately fell short, with LSG pacer Avesh Khan delivering a brilliant final over to secure a narrow 2-run victory for his team.