Can he play the same way next year?, wondered Steve Waugh as he spoke about India's newest IPL batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, expressing disbelief at the 14-year-old's impeccable timing and advising him to focus on 'control' to avoid being a supernova.

The legendary former Australian captain, who doesn't follow the IPL religiously, said Suryavanshi is a 'fantastic attraction' but one that needs to be kept grounded for his own good, a thought that has been echoed by multiple followers of the game.

Suryavanshi, playing for Rajasthan Royals, entered history books with a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans. His 101 came off only 38 balls and was the fastest ton in IPL for any Indian.

'I watched that century and I just couldn't believe how well he struck the ball and how easy he was hitting the sixes and how relaxed he was,' Waugh said in a media interaction alongside Anil Kumble, Matthew Hayden and Robin Uthappa on 'Australian Summer of Cricket 2025-26' organised by JioStar, Cricket Australia and the Australian Government.

'As a 14-year-old, he had no concept of pressure…just play with complete freedom, so that was great to watch. I guess for him the challenge will be to keep it under control,' he added.

Waugh believes that Suryavanshi, who already has an IPL contract worth over Rs one crore, will be a multi-millionaire 'before he is 16 years of age' and would be faced with the pressures and expectations.

'Can he play the same way with the same enthusiasm, the same freedom as he has done this year? That'll be his challenge. He's got a lot of skill, he's mentally tough and he's got a great backstory, so you want to see someone like that be successful. It's a great story for cricket and for me watching from a long way away,' Waugh said referring to the well-documented accounts of his parents' sacrifices to ensure his success.

'I don't get to watch a lot of IPL games because it's probably (in) the wrong time of the day. But then, when someone like that comes along, you want to watch the game so he's a fantastic attraction for the sport,' he added.