Harbhajan Singh reveals masterplan to diffuse Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's batting blitz in IPL 2026

Rajasthan Royals' explosive Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has taken IPL 2026 by storm, consistently terrorizing opposition bowlers and mesmerizing viewers alike. While his explosive ability to clear the boundary makes for incredible entertainment, he has quickly become a batsman that bowlers genuinely dread facing.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's batting wizardry in IPL 2026 continues

Sooryavanshi's immense hitting range was on full display on Sunday during his blistering 46-run cameo off just 21 balls, a knock laced with five boundaries and three sixes against the Delhi Capitals. Although the Royals ultimately lost the encounter, the young prodigy walked away with widespread praise for his fearless approach.

Playing in Delhi, Vaibhav's explosive start and his crucial 70-run partnership with Dhruv Jurel put RR in a strong position. Both Jurel and skipper Riyan Parag went on to score half-centuries, but the momentum completely shifted in the fifteenth over when Mitchell Starc struck back with a devastating spell.

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Starc picked up three wickets in that single over, including the prized scalp of Parag, triggering a dramatic collapse that saw Rajasthan slip from a comfortable 161/2 to finish on 193/8 in the final five overs. Starc later added Dasun Shanaka to his victim list in the penultimate over to dismantle the Royals' innings.

In response, Delhi Capitals got off to a flying start as openers Abhishek Porel and KL Rahul both struck fifties, putting together a commanding 105-run opening stand. However, the DC middle order stumbled, leaving skipper Axar Patel to anchor the chase as wickets tumbled around him. Axar managed crucial minor partnerships of 20 with Tristan Stubbs and 22 with David Miller, before Ashutosh Sharma played a brilliant, high-impact cameo to comfortably close out the chase for Delhi.

Harbhajan Singh has a plan in place for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Meanwhile, legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh recently shared his tactical blueprint on how he would have bowled to the rising prodigy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Harbhajan explained that his primary strategy would center on spinning the ball sharply away from the young batter's hitting arc to prevent him from teeing off comfortably. In a glowing tribute to the teenager's explosive talent, the veteran spinner even drew comparisons between Sooryavanshi and T20 legend Chris Gayle.

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'I would plan to spin the ball and keep it away from his hitting arc'

Elaborating on his plan while speaking on JioHotstar, Harbhajan emphasized the importance of disrupting the youngster's rhythm. He stated that his main goal would be to dismiss Sooryavanshi at any cost, regardless of the immaculate form the youngster is carrying. Harbhajan noted that while he wouldn't mind if the batter stepped out of his crease to take a risk, he would absolutely avoid letting him dictate play and unleash powerful shots from the comfort of the crease.

"Against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, I would plan to get his wicket anyhow. But what kind of form he is in matters a lot. I would plan to spin the ball and keep it away from his hitting arc. If he steps out of the crease and tries to hit me, that's okay. But I don't want him to play his shots while standing in the crease. That would be my bowling plan," he said.

"But the kind of batter he is, at the age of 15, he is hitting every bowler for a six. I have played with many players, but I have never seen a batter like Sooryavanshi who dominates every bowler from ball one. I have dismissed Chris Gayle many times, but Sooryavanshi is at a different level altogether. His bat flow is something I have never seen," he added.

Sooryavanshi’s spectacular performances in IPL 2026 stand as a testament to this high praise, proving that the young prodigy is completely immune to any sophomore slump. He currently sits sixth in the Orange Cap race, having amassed 486 runs across 12 matches to lead the scoring charts for his franchise. The dynamic left-hander has accumulated his runs at an excellent average of 40.50, backed by a staggering strike rate of 234.78. His sensational campaign already includes two half-centuries and a brilliant hundred, alongside a tournament-high 43 sixes that have left cricket fans and experts thoroughly entertained.