Such has been the impact of the 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi that his 23-ball fifty is the slowest of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 career. On May 19, in a must-win game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Rajasthan Royals (RR) used Sooryavanshi as an impact player. While RR bowlers were taken to the cleaners, especially by opener Mitchell Marsh, Sooryavanshi was making his game plan. The teenager was not looking to get off to a flyer as he does most of the times. In the run chase of 221, he was happy to start slow as he backed himself to make up for the dot deliveries anytime of his innings. Sooryavanshi executed it perfectly as he went for 11 runs from 12 balls to a 38-ball 93, winning the game for RR.
“I was just thinking because I was sitting outside during the bowling innings and the wicket looked good. I was thinking that today I shouldn’t rush too much at the start, I should take some time and if I bat for a longer period, it’s going to help the batter at the other end as well,” Sooryavanshi said in the post-match presentation as he was adjudged ‘Player of the match’.
Jaiswal departs, Sooryavanshi switches to top gear
Sooryavanshi showed first signs of naked aggression in the final over of the powerplay overs as stand-in skipper Yashasvi Jaiswal had departed in the previous over. He hit Prince Yadav for a six and two fours. The same bowler who had got his maiden ODI call up earlier in the day. After eighth over, he was batting on a 16-ball 25. Then, he unleashed carnage, hitting Akash Singh for two sixes and three overs. He reached his half-century from 23 balls in the 10th over.
“That was the mindset. I know I can hit two or three boundaries or sixes anytime, so I can take a little more time and not rush too much and try to take the game till the end,” he said.
On the last ball of the 14th over, Sooryavanshi lost his wicket to Mohsin Khan. Once again, a slower one got the better of him as he miscued and was caught by long-on fielder Abdul Samad.
Sooryavanshi gets orange cap again
The 93-run knock helped Sooryavanshi reclaim the orange cap. He has scored 579 runs from 13 innings at an average of 44.53 and strike rate of 236.32. He has a century and three fifties in the season.
With several contenders for orange cap, Sooryavanshi may have to reclaim it again on May 24 in RR’s must-win game against Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.