Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been a huge mystery for bowlers in IPL 2026. Only 15 years old, the opener is RR’s highest run-scorer this season and has taken on opposition bowlers with ease in the powerplay. The youngster has even dismantled veterans like Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood, smacking them for sixes and fours. Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh had a suggestion for bowlers: keep their deliveries away from his hitting arc.
Against DC, Sooryavanshi once again showed why he is the most feared batter this season, smacking 46 off 21 balls, packed with five fours and three sixes. He was striking at 219.05, which perfectly reflects his aggressive approach.
‘Against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, my plan would be to get his wicket anyhow’: Harbhajan Singh
Speaking on JioHotstar, Harbhajan said, “Against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, my plan would be to get his wicket anyhow. But what kind of form he is in matters a lot. My plan would be 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. 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 Suryavanshi who dominates every bowler from ball one. I have dismissed Chris Gayle many times, but Suryavanshi is at a different level altogether. His bat flow is something I have never seen.”
He is currently sixth in the Orange Cap race with 486 runs in 12 matches at an average of 40.50 and 234.78 strike rate.
Although RR lost to DC on Sunday, Sooryavanshi showed why he is considered the IPL’s X-factor. In the second over, he pulled a short delivery from Lungi Ngidi over deep square leg for a six. Then in the next over, he hammered Mitchell Starc for a four and a six. Receiving a full delivery, he outside-edged Starc for a four. Later in the same over, he received a short ball. Sooryavanshi slammed it into the fine leg stands for a maximum. Then in the fourth over, he hit Ngidi for another four. He was eventually dismissed in the eighth over, losing his wicket to Madhav Tiwari.
RR have two more games remaining, but their defeat against DC has complicated their qualification pathway. They have 12 points from 12 games and need wins in their final two games, as well as other results to go in their favour.
