What were you doing when you were 14?

It’s hard not to draw comparisons to the rest of us when you think about Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the Indian wonder kid who has stepped onto the professional cricket field having just turned 14.

To make a century for Rajasthan Royals this week off just 35 balls, the second-fastest in Indian Premier League history, is simply astonishing.

Growing up in an era dominated by Twenty20 cricket in a country that is fanatical about it, Suryavanshi clearly absorbed the shortest form of the game in his formative years.

He says West Indian great Brian Lara is his cricket hero and, watching him play, you can see the resemblance in batting style with the bat speed and wrist-cock.

The youngster’s ability to face 140kmh deliveries without batting an eyelid speaks volumes about his fearlessness and skill, and some of those he faced against Gujarat Titans were Test bowlers.

Suryavanshi’s technique looks good. There was the occasional slog shot, but overall, I was blown aware by his shot selection and the way he went about it. He didn’t look out of place and showed that age is only a number when you have the skills he has.

A fascinating part of his journey is his father’s dedication, creating a cement pitch on their farmland, which surely has helped lay the platform along with the countless hours Suryavanshi has spent honing his craft.

It’s typical for Indian batters to hit a thousand balls in a single session, and it seems Vaibhav is no exception.

It’s inspiring to see such raw talent emerging at a young age and who knows what the future holds for him. His innings was undeniably thrilling and promising for the future. Because he is still so young, it is premature to get too excited.

So much will come down to how he is managed from this point on. Does he have the right people around him to guide him and help him reach his full potential? It’s tough to say because he’s still so young, and we’ve only seen a glimpse of what he can do.

It will be interesting to see what happens after this IPL season. Will Suryavanshi be hot property to play around the world in other T20 franchise leagues?

Will he be held back to help his development in all formats of the game? Is his ultimate dream to become a quality Test cricketer or is being a T20 specialist what he wants to do?

The possibilities are at his fingertips, and this is another reason he needs his family and coaches supporting him and guiding him through this time with the cricket world buzzing as it will be significant in setting up his future.

Who knows what the correct answers are, because we are dealing with something we have never seen in professional cricket.

A lot can happen in the next few years during this crucial growth period. While we hope that everything goes well based on what we’ve seen so far, we also have to acknowledge that he could struggle in his next few innings or even experience burnout from the demands of professional cricket.

The rollercoaster of a young athlete’s career can be unpredictable, and it will be fascinating to see how things unfold in the coming years.

For now, it’s enjoyable and fascinating to watch, and it feels somewhat unbelievable. I do hope Suryavanshi continues to enjoy the game and ends up playing Test cricket one day, although that may not be a priority for him.

Cricket will be stronger if the most talented young players harbour a desire to represent their country in the longest form of the game and learn the skills that enable them to do so.

Now, is there a 14-year-old fast bowler out there somewhere who can bowl at 140kmh-plus? I don’t think we’ll be seeing one of those in professional cricket any time soon but I’m ready to be proved wrong!