Rajasthan Royals (RR) wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel lavished praise on young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi who scored a 29-ball 97 in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Eliminator match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 27. Jurel revealed that Sooryavanshi doesn't plan anything against a particular attack and backs himself to do well.
"Best thing about Vaibhav is that he doesn't plan anything, because he practices a lot, and he always backs himself. That's what he does every time he goes out and plays. So the best thing about him is that he backs himself and he doesn't have that shadow of doubt that I'm not able to do it," said Jurel in a post-match press conference.
During his 97-run knock, the 15-year-old hit 12 sixes. He broke legendary Chris Gayle's record for most sixes in a single IPL edition. Jurel was asked about the southpaw's T20 mantra. He says that the opener does what everyone is told to do in academy days, watch the ball and not worry about the bowler.
"When you go to the academy, you are told not to watch the bowler, but the ball. And we, as a 17-year-old kid, we always used to watch the bowler. But he [Sooryavanshi] just watches the ball. That's all his mantra. He doesn't give a damn about any bowler. He just wants to play the ball. That's all," he said.
After Sooryavanshi departed on the last ball of the eighth over, Jurel arrived at the crease. He did not let the tempo fall despite Yashasvi Jaiswal falling for a run-a-ball 29. Skipper Riyan Parag and Jurel attacked from both ends. Jurel reached his sixth fifty of the season from just 20 balls. He lost his wicket right after to Praful Hinge in the 14th over. Jurel's knock featured five fours and three sixes.
Jurel crosses 500-run mark
Jurel is 11th on the list of leading run-scorers in the ongoing season. It is also his best IPL season. Justifying the promotion to top order, he has accumulated 508 runs at an average of 39.07 and strike rate of 155.35.
He needs just three runs in the Qualifier 2 clash against Gujarat Titans GT) to enter top 10. He may face stiff competition from GT's Jos Buttler who has 498 runs from 15 innings.