In a heartwarming moment that transcended the highs and lows of sport, India skipper and Mumbai Indians stalwart Rohit Sharma extended a comforting hand to 14-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi following the youngster’s disappointing dismissal for a two-ball duck in the recent IPL 2025 clash between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Jaipur.

The teenager, who recently captured national headlines by becoming the youngest player to ever score a century in the Indian Premier League, faced a harsh reality check during his second outing. Walking in with immense anticipation surrounding his performance, Suryavanshi was dismissed without scoring, visibly shaken and downcast as he returned to the pavilion.

But what followed was a moment of mentorship and empathy, as Rohit Sharma approached the young left-hander during the post-match handshakes and offered him some much-needed reassurance. Rohit's gesture didn’t go unnoticed, with former India coach and commentator Ravi Shastri praising the act during the live broadcast.

“He will learn. Encouraging words from Rohit Sharma there, as well,” Shastri remarked, emphasizing the emotional value of the moment. “Every MI player that walked past him had something positive to say. You don’t get to see players like him every day—14 years old, scoring a hundred. Today, he got out on zero, but that’s cricket. That’s what he’ll learn.”

Rising Star Faces Harsh Reality of Elite Cricket

Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s journey has already become the stuff of legends. Just days ago, he sent the cricketing world into a frenzy by smashing a scintillating century, rewriting the IPL record books in the process. His knock was a combination of fearless stroke play, clean hitting, and maturity far beyond his years.

Naturally, expectations were sky-high for his next appearance. But cricket, in its unpredictable essence, threw him a curveball. Facing seasoned campaigners from Rajasthan Royals, Suryavanshi was caught off guard early in his innings. Dismissed in just his second delivery, the atmosphere shifted from excitement to empathy as the teenager trudged off the field.

Despite the disappointment, this match may prove to be a formative lesson in the career of the young sensation—one that will shape his resilience and character as a professional athlete.

Rohit Sharma's Role as Mentor Grows

Rohit Sharma’s interaction with Suryavanshi highlights his growing role as a mentor within the team and Indian cricket at large. No stranger to the pressures of international cricket, Rohit himself had his fair share of ups and downs in his early years.

By stepping up and reassuring Vaibhav in front of cameras and teammates, Rohit exemplified leadership rooted in compassion. He understands that budding cricketers like Suryavanshi need encouragement just as much as technical coaching, especially after a failure that plays out on such a massive stage.

Notably, this wasn’t the first time Rohit expressed admiration for the young left-hander. Following his historic century, Rohit had posted an Instagram story celebrating the innings, simply captioning it “Classy” with a clip of Vaibhav’s best shots.

MI Batting Dominance Overshadowed by Young Star’s Dismissal

While Suryavanshi’s dismissal grabbed headlines, Mumbai Indians put on a masterclass in batting during the high-voltage clash. Opting to bat first, MI got off to a blazing start thanks to the seasoned opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton.

Rohit played a captain’s knock, anchoring the innings with a fluent 53 off 36 balls. Rickelton complemented him beautifully, smashing 61 off just 38 deliveries. The duo stitched together a 116-run stand by the 12th over, giving MI a commanding platform to launch from.

Rajasthan Royals eventually broke the partnership when Maheesh Theekshana removed Rickelton. Rohit followed soon after, caught off the bowling of RR captain Riyan Parag in the next over. Despite losing their openers in quick succession, MI’s middle order showed no signs of slowing down.

Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya took control of the innings, delivering explosive finishes with near-identical innings. Both players scored 48 off 23 balls, ensuring that MI crossed the 200-run mark comfortably. Their late-over heroics took the team’s total to a formidable 211/2 in their allotted 20 overs.

Rajasthan Royals Face Uphill Task in Chase

With a mammoth total to chase, Rajasthan Royals had their task cut out. While full match details of RR's innings were not