Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in action during IPL 2026© AFP
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Took to social media to post a three-word message after guiding Rajasthan Royals to victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator on Wednesday. Sooryavanshi smashed 97 off just 29 deliveries and narrowly missed out on Chris Gayle‘s record of scoring the fastest T20 century. On his Instagram account, the 15-year-old sensation shared pictures of the match along with the message: “Hungry for more”. The victory meant that RR move one step closer to facing Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 Final, as they take on Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 on Friday.
Meanwhile, former South Africa batsman and IPL great AB de Villiers heaped praise on teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, stating that the opener’s game awareness at the age of just 15 is ‘remarkable’ after the Rajasthan Royals batter produced a breathtaking innings against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator.
Reacting to the knock, de Villiers said what impressed him most was not just the shot-making but the maturity and calmness Sooryavanshi displayed in a high-pressure knockout game.
“What stood out most about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s innings was his composure and clarity under pressure at just 15 years of age. Pat Cummins and Sunrisers Hyderabad kept trying different plans, constantly changing the field and mixing their lengths to disrupt his rhythm, but he stayed completely locked into his own bubble throughout the innings. That level of game awareness in a knockout match is remarkable for someone so young,” de Villiers told JioStar.
Sooryavanshi’s innings completely disrupted SRH’s bowling plans. Despite skipper Cummins opening with defensive fields and yorker-heavy tactics, the teenager countered every move with fearless strokeplay as RR raced to 125 in just eight overs. De Villiers highlighted how the youngster appeared ready for every tactical adjustment SRH attempted during the innings.
“Whether they bowled short or tried to surprise him with fuller deliveries, he seemed prepared for every plan and was in control against all of them. Scoring 97 off just 29 balls in an Eliminator, while dominating all parts of the ground, was an extraordinary display of fearless batting and showed why he is already being spoken about alongside some of the most explosive players the IPL has seen,” he added.
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