Astonishing displays can quiet even the fiercest rivalries, and that was the vibe in Jaipur on Tuesday when Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka watched 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produce a knock that looked far beyond his age. Goenka didn’t just applaud from the stands—he was also seen speaking with Rajasthan Royals’ opener during and after the action. Sunil Gavaskar, clearly entertained by the moment, even joked about an IPL auction possibility involving Sooryavanshi.
Key takeaways
- Sanjiv Goenka applauded Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s batting and was seen conversing with Rajasthan Royals’ opener.
- Sooryavanshi struck 50 off 23 balls, then added a further 43 runs in just 15 deliveries.
- His innings ended with Rajasthan falling short of a century by seven runs, after Mohsin Khan bowled a slower delivery.
- Despite Rajasthan needing 31 more balls at the finish line, Dhruv Jurel wrapped up the chase with an unbeaten 53.
- After the match, Goenka chatted with Sooryavanshi as the youngster signed autographs, prompting Sunil Gavaskar’s playful “auction” remark.
From a shaky start to a rapid rampage
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s evening at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium began in an uncharacteristic manner. He managed only 11 runs from his first 12 deliveries, playing second fiddle to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had already blasted 37 off 18 balls by then. However, he quickly found his rhythm, and the momentum swung firmly in Rajasthan’s favour.
Just one over later, Sooryavanshi returned to form and never truly looked back. He struck Akash Singh for a 26-run over, then followed it with a 29-run assault off Mayank Yadav. He reached his fifty in 23 balls, and then accelerated again—adding 43 runs in only 15 more deliveries to build a devastating innings.
Just short of a milestone as Rajasthan chase succeeds
A century appeared to be on the cards, but it wasn’t to be. Sooryavanshi finished seven runs short of the mark, undone by a slower ball from Mohsin Khan. The 15-year-old was visibly disappointed by the missed opportunity, yet the Jaipur crowd and his teammates still rose to applaud him as he walked back to the pavilion.
At the moment of his dismissal, Rajasthan were still 43 runs away from the target of 221. Even so, the damage Sooryavanshi caused had effectively tipped the contest, and LSG’s ninth defeat of the season was all but sealed—especially since they had already been eliminated from the playoff race.
With the result effectively hanging in the balance, Sanjiv Goenka and LSG head coach Justin Langer still chose to acknowledge the brilliance in Sooryavanshi’s innings, standing and clapping for the batter.
In the chase, Rajasthan didn’t need to wait long for the finishing burst. They required 31 more deliveries when the hunt was in its final phase, and Dhruv Jurel delivered the decisive moments, scoring the winning boundary while remaining unbeaten on 53 to steer the Royals to a seven-wicket victory.
Goenka, Gavaskar and the future conversation
After the seven-wicket result, Goenka was again spotted near Sooryavanshi, this time chatting while the youngster met young fans and signed autographs. That prompted Sunil Gavaskar to tease the situation with a remark that he would “be bidding for you soon,” turning the moment into a light-hearted talking point.
Rajasthan Royals clearly see long-term value in the teenager, and with no rigid restriction on how long a player can stay with a single franchise, it’s unlikely the Royals would part ways with Sooryavanshi in the near future. Even if Gavaskar’s comment was more humour than blueprint, Sooryavanshi is not expected to be released unless he himself chooses to make a move.
