The latest season of the Ranji Trophy, India's premier red-ball domestic competition, commenced across the nation on Friday, featuring 19 matches with participation from 38 teams. Among the 418 players gracing the field, Bihar's Vaibhav Suryavanshi stood out as he made his first-class debut in a Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai at the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in Patna. Claiming to be 14 years old, Suryavanshi's potential debut at such a young age places him among the youngest first-class debutants in India's cricket history, surpassing cricket legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh.

Yuvraj Singh, a two-time world champion with India, made his maiden first-class appearance for Punjab against Odisha at the age of 15 years and 57 days. Similarly, Sachin Tendulkar, renowned as one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history, played his first match for Mumbai against Gujarat at the age of 15 years and 230 days.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, primarily an opening batter, previously represented the India B U19 team in a Quadrangular Under-19 series last year. During the series, the teenager showcased his batting prowess, accumulating 177 runs in six innings at an average of 29.50, including two half-centuries. In the Vinoo Mankad Trophy last year, Suryavanshi concluded as the eighth-highest run-scorer, amassing 393 runs from five matches at an impressive average of 78.60, featuring one century and three half-centuries. His remarkable journey in age-group cricket has positioned him as an emerging talent to watch in the Indian cricket landscape.