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On May 27, Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored a 29-ball 97 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 eliminator. His knock earned praise from legendary players, including former India opener Sachin Tendulkar who once made people stay glued to TV screens like Sooryavanshi does now. After the 47-run win to reach Qualifier 2, Dhruv Jurel told Sooryavanshi about Tendulkar’s tweet, praising the ease with which he clears his front leg and swings the bat. The 15-year-old was flattered and thanked 'God of Cricket' for motivating him.
“It feels really good sir. It motivates me. You (Dhruv Jurel) just told me about it. I wasn’t even aware. And of course, everyone knows he’s the ‘God of Cricket’. If he has tweeted something like that, it’s a huge deal for us that a legend like him has tweeted about us. Of course, it’s a moment of pride,” Sooryavanshi said during a conversation with teammate Jurel in a video posted by IPL.
Here's what Tendulkar tweeted about Sooryavanshi -
“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s bat swing has been outstanding. What’s even more remarkable is how beautifully he clears his front foot to create room for balls aimed at his legs. This freedom allows him to play the way he does,” wrote the ODI World Cup 2011 winner.
“That innings was nothing short of spectacular!”
High-on confidence Sooryavanshi happy to bat as per team’s requirements
Sooryavanshi is in possession of orange cap with a strike rate of 242.85. He hit 12 sixes in the IPL 2026 eliminator. He has already broken T20 legend Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in a single IPL edition. The young southpaw talked about his attacking approach and how his self-confidence helps him strike big. He also recalled when he wondered whether he will be able to playing IPL soon or not.
“My self-confidence is always high. I just wanted to give us a good start and carry it through because if the ball is coming nicely onto my bat, the longer I play, the more it benefits the team. That’s all I was thinking about while playing today,” Sooryavanshi said.
“I know what kind of game I have. If the team needs me to play a long innings, I can do that. If the team needs sixes, I can do that too. I just try to play according to the situation and back myself.
“A year ago, I didn’t know I would be playing in the IPL so soon. But it feels great that I broke a record. But the focus is on what I can do for the team,” Sooryavanshi added.
T20I debut for Sooryavanshi?
Sooryavanshi has made a case for his international debut when the selectors pick the T20I squad for UK tour, including two T20Is against Ireland and five against England. If he makes his T20I debut in next T20I series, he will break Sachin Tendulkar and Shafali Verma’s record for youngest Indian to make debut in international cricket.
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