Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan shared a distinctive “theory” about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and on Monday night he felt it finally proved itself. During Sunrisers Hyderabad’s match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, debutant Praful Hinge managed the one outcome that Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood had not managed—getting the Rajasthan Royals opener out for a golden duck. For Pathan, it was the moment his long-held idea about the youngster’s tendencies seemed to land.
Earlier in the month, Sooryavanshi had taken Bumrah apart, smashing two sixes off just five balls in an IPL 2026 fixture against the Mumbai Indians. That performance prompted Pathan to turn to social media, questioning whether the 15-year-old deliberately goes after the biggest names in the bowling attack. “Does Vaibhav target big bowlers purposely? I like to think so,” Pathan posted, describing it as “my theory.” He reinforced that stance after Sooryavanshi produced a similar assault on Hazlewood in Guwahati, scoring 19 runs in an over that included three boundaries and a six struck off consecutive deliveries.
However, the narrative shifted on Monday. Pathan believed his hypothesis had found real support when Praful struck early. Taking to X, he wrote, “So my theory for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi isn’t wrong.” The key moment came when Praful bowled a short ball on middle and leg, and Sooryavanshi rushed into a pull. The shot only produced a top edge, which rose straight up; wicketkeeper Salil Arora stayed composed under it and completed a straightforward catch, ending the innings with the batter dismissed for a golden duck.
It was also a historic early burst from Praful. He accounted for the Royals opener in the opening over and went on to claim three more wickets in that same phase, becoming the first bowler in IPL history to take a hat-trick of dismissals within the first over of a chase. He struck again in the following over, and with fellow debutant Sakib Hussain contributing to a collapse lower down the order, SRH secured their second victory of the season.
Even with the rare setback, Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag maintained that the dismissal was simply part of Sooryavanshi’s growth. Speaking in the post-match press conference, Parag said, “I feel one thing you gain every time you step onto a cricket field is experience. Regardless of his age — he might be 15 — he has gained a lot from playing last year.”
Parag added that the learning goes beyond just the fielding moments. “Even from the sidelines, you understand how the game works, how the IPL works. He has played games, carried that momentum into the Under-19 World Cup and Asia Cups, and scored runs everywhere,” he explained.
He concluded by highlighting the value of those high-pressure experiences. “I think he has earned a lot of experience from those situations — winning games, scoring big runs, like daddy hundreds,” Parag said.
