Australia captain Pat Cummins has offered an insight into what it’s like to bowl to teenage batting phenomenon Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in IPL 2026, after being on the receiving end of some brutal hitting that included the tournament’s quickest century and a later lightning-quick 97. Speaking after recent clashes where Sooryavanshi repeatedly punished the bowling attack, Cummins stressed that the room for error is extremely small, while also joking that he almost wished the 15-year-old was still in school.
Key takeaways
- Cummins believes the margin for error when bowling to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is “very small,” given the power and distance he generates.
- In IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi produced the fastest century of the season and later struck a 29-ball 97.
- In Cummins’ first match back after missing the opening half of IPL 2026, he conceded a six to Sooryavanshi and the teenager struck a 36-ball hundred.
- During the IPL 2026 Eliminator between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, Cummins finished wicketless and was hit for 64 runs in four overs.
- Rajasthan posted 243/20, with Sooryavanshi driving much of the early momentum, and Sunrisers fell short in the chase.
Cummins on the challenge of bowling to Sooryavanshi
Pat Cummins, who was among the leading bowlers to come under pressure from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s bat during the recently completed IPL 2026, made it clear that executing plans against the teenager leaves little room for missteps. Cummins described Sooryavanshi as a genuine standout, highlighting both his ability to clear the boundary with force and the difficulty of slowing him down once he finds his rhythm.
Speaking on Fox Cricket, Cummins said, “He’s a talent. He hits the ball a long way, he hits very hard. Margins for error are very small. He’s a real talent, pretty tough to bowl to.” He then added a light-hearted wish that the youngster was still in school, explaining that it would have spared him from bowling in those moments.
“Wishing he was in high school, so I didn’t have to bowl at him,” Cummins joked. He also emphasised the rarity of the performances, stating that he hasn’t really seen batting like that—particularly from a 15-year-old—before concluding that the hitting class remains the same regardless of age: “Whether he’s 30 or 15, he’s just a very good hitter of the ball.”
First game back: a six on the first ball and a 36-ball century
After missing the first half of IPL 2026, Cummins returned to action and immediately encountered the same Sooryavanshi intensity that had been making headlines. In his very first game back, Cummins’ first delivery to the youngster was struck for six, mirroring the pattern seen with other frontline fast bowlers in the tournament such as Jasprit Bumrah and Cummins’ fellow Australian teammate Mitchell Starc.
Sooryavanshi went on to deliver a rapid masterpiece in that match, smashing a century off just 36 balls—an innings that underlined both his timing and the speed at which he was able to convert starts into match-altering totals.
Eliminator impact: 97 off 29 and Cummins’ 64 runs
Sooryavanshi’s damage looked even more severe when Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals met in the Eliminator of the IPL 2026 playoffs. In that high-pressure knockout, he struck 97 in just 29 balls, coming agonisingly close to writing his name beside the fastest century in IPL history, but stopping short of the record.
That night, Cummins was unable to break through with the ball. He finished wicketless, conceding 64 runs across his four overs, with an economy rate of 16. While Cummins faced the brunt of the acceleration, it was Sooryavanshi who carried much of the early momentum, steering Rajasthan Royals to a commanding total of 243 in 20 overs.
Rajasthan’s score proved decisive. Sunrisers Hyderabad ultimately couldn’t chase down the target, and the result brought an end to their IPL 2026 campaign as the curtains fell on the season for Cummins’ side.
