2 min readMay 30, 2026 04:51 PM IST
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has had a season to remember in the IPL 2026. For the Rajasthan Royals this season, the teenager churned out 776 runs at an average of 48.50 at a blistering strike rate of 237.30. On many occasions during the season, he was the lone batter standing for the Royals.
In qualifier 2, too, he played an incredible innings of 96 runs from just 47 deliveries. His heroics were not enough for Rajasthan to win the game, though he earned the appreciation of former Indian off-spinner R Ashwin.
“I’m actually disappointed. He played a lot of good knocks in this IPL and scored almost 800 runs, but the high point for me was his innings today,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin lauded Sooryavanshi’s ability to handle Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, and Jason Holder, who are experienced Test match bowlers accustomed to bowling at tough lengths and exploiting the conditions.
“Yes, he definitely had luck, but the wicket was helping the bowlers, and the bowlers were Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, and Jason Holder, who have bowled really well in Test cricket. He got some luck against them, and there was a dropped catch. But the way he handled the pitch and changed his shots, he deserved better,” he added.
The 39-year-old said Rajasthan let down Sooyavanshi’s superb knock. “Rajasthan Royals let down that young boy’s incredible innings. ‘Incredible innings’ are actually not enough words to explain Vaibhav Suryavanshi. If you looked at his face after the match, you could see disappointment.”
Ashwin said Rajasthan never had a chance in the qualifier 2, but Sooryavanshi’s knock separated both sides. “The 15-year-old kid just has it in his mind that he has to make his team win. The Rajasthan Royals were not in the game right from the start. He was the one person who stood between RR losing and winning the game,” Ashwin said.
