US-Born Prodigy Aman Rao Stuns with Fiery Double Ton, Ignites IPL Hopes

Aman Rao Perala, the 21-year-old US-born opener from Hyderabad, has taken Indian domestic cricket by storm with a breathtaking unbeaten double century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Tuesday.

In just his third List A match, Rao smashed 200 off 109 balls against Bengal at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, powering Hyderabad to a commanding 352/5. His explosive knock featured 12 fours and 13 sixes, capped by a dramatic last-ball six to reach the milestone. This marked the first double hundred by a Hyderabad batter in Vijay Hazare history and the ninth overall in the tournament, following Odisha's Swastik Samal earlier in the season.[1][2][3]

Rao's fearless assault dismantled Bengal's star-studded attack, including Indian internationals Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, and Shahbaz Ahmed. He forged key partnerships, including 104 runs for the first wicket with Rahul Singh (65) and 87 with skipper Tilak Varma (34).[2][3]

Hyderabad then sealed a 107-run victory as Bengal crumbled to 245 in 44.4 overs, with pacer Mohammed Siraj claiming 4/58 in a sensational spell.[2]

Born in Wisconsin, USA, and raised in Hyderabad, Rao's aggressive top-order style boasts a T20 strike rate over 160. His domestic breakthrough came via strong age-group showings, including 381 runs at 63.50 average in the U-23 State Trophy. He grabbed headlines in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a blistering over against Shardul Thakur, smashing 24 runs.[1][3]

Rao's form earned him a spot at the IPL 2026 auction, where Rajasthan Royals snapped him up for Rs 3 million (about $36,000), signaling big expectations for the explosive opener.[1][2][3]

Across three Vijay Hazare games, Rao has amassed 252 runs at an average of 126, blending power and maturity on the big stage.[1]