These are the stories of four rookies who didn’t just perform — they defined games, flipped narratives, and walked away as heroes
The 2025 edition of the IPL has gifted fans many unforgettable moments. But among the fireworks and fierce finishes, it’s the rookies who’ve truly lit up the league. Not just with glimpses of potential — but with match-winning masterclasses that snatched victories from the jaws of defeat. From debut dreams to record-smashing innings, here are four newcomers who didn’t wait for their moment. They made it.
The game seemed lost. Delhi Capitals were gasping at 113-6, chasing a monstrous 210 against Lucknow. Then walked in Ashutosh Sharma — eyes calm, shoulders loose, purpose clear. What followed was 31 balls of fury and flair. He hammered 66 runs, with five sixes, including the match-winning hit.
Every over was a new twist. Sharma and Vipraj Nigam stitched together a fearless partnership. Bishnoi tried his tricks. Shahbaz tightened the lines. But Sharma played as if nothing else mattered. He dodged dismissals, danced down the pitch, and sealed the win with three balls left.
It wasn’t just about runs. It was about resilience. When others crumbled, Sharma stood tall. He finished like Dhoni, counterattacked like Pollard, and won a game that looked dead. For Delhi, he wasn’t just a spark. He was the storm.
Mumbai Indians needed something big. They found it in an unheralded left-arm pacer from Jhanjeri. Ashwani Kumar, just 23 and fresh to the IPL stage, produced magic against Kolkata Knight Riders — grabbing 4 wickets for 24 runs in just 3 overs.
From his very first ball, he had an impact — knocking over seasoned names like Rinku Singh and Andre Russell with precision and pace. KKR rattled and clueless, folded for just 116. It was the lowest team score this season — and Ashwani was the architect of their downfall.
MI easily chased it down, but the scoreboard told only half the story. This was a bowling spell to remember — one that mixed aggression with craft. Ashwani didn’t just debut; he dominated. And in doing so, he turned Mumbai’s campaign around.
When Punjab Kings faced Chennai Super Kings in New Chandigarh, the stage seemed set for a seasoned star to shine. But it was 24-year-old Priyansh Arya who stole the show — blasting a jaw-dropping 103 off just 42 balls. What made it more special? It was the fastest century by an uncapped Indian and one of the quickest in IPL history.
Arya’s innings was a storm wrapped in calm. Two early drops? He turned them into fuel. He reached his century with a brutal assault on Pathirana — smashing 22 in one over and raising his ton in just 39 balls. The rest of the top order stumbled, scoring only 23 runs combined. But Arya’s blade sang its own song. His hitting was fearless and precise, echoing the raw swagger of a young Sehwag.
Though he fell soon after the milestone, the momentum he built was carried forward. Punjab posted a mammoth 219. CSK couldn’t match up. And just like that, a new star was born — not in the calm of consistency, but in the blaze of impact.
At 14, most kids are buried in textbooks. Vaibhav Suryavanshi was rewriting IPL records. In only his third match for Rajasthan Royals, the teen prodigy stunned Gujarat Titans with a whirlwind 101 from just 38 deliveries. The target? 210. The chase? Done in 15.5 overs — a record in itself.
He didn’t just play well — he played like he belonged. Vaibhav’s century came in just 35 balls, the second-fastest in league history. With 11 sixes peppered across the ground, even bowlers like Rashid Khan looked clueless. His 94 boundary runs didn’t just tilt the match — they flattened the opposition.
While Yashasvi Jaiswal anchored the chase at the other end, it was Suryavanshi who made jaws drop. He didn’t just chase a total. He rewrote what’s possible for a player his age. One innings, and the world knew: he’s not the future. He’s the now.
