Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s reputation has continued to climb with every outing. The 15-year-old batter struck his second IPL century on Saturday, reaching three figures against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The left-hander faced 37 deliveries and made 103, featuring 5 fours and 12 sixes, but the innings ultimately proved insufficient as SRH chased down Rajasthan Royals’ imposing 228 and won by five wickets.
Sooryavanshi’s century and the chase in Jaipur
Sooryavanshi set the tone early, staying in control for a long spell and converting pressure into big hitting. His 103 came from a strike-rate-heavy approach—37 balls, 12 maximums, and a total that pushed Rajasthan to a massive score.
Rajasthan, asked to bat first, finished on 228/6. Sunrisers Hyderabad then hunted the target successfully, finishing with five wickets in hand and still nine balls left in the innings.
- Rajasthan Royals: 228/6 after batting first
- Sunrisers Hyderabad: chased the target down with 5 wickets remaining and 9 balls to spare
- Sooryavanshi: 103 off 37 balls (5 fours, 12 sixes)
Key contributions from SRH
While Sooryavanshi’s knock drew the headlines, SRH’s chase was built on two major half-centuries. Abhishek Sharma struck 57, and Ishan Kishan added 74, ensuring the visitors stayed on track to complete the chase.
- Abhishek Sharma: 57
- Ishan Kishan: 74
Cummins’ early over and the praise after the match
The contest also featured an intriguing mini-battle between batter and captain. Just as Sooryavanshi had shown no hesitation against Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood, he did the same against Pat Cummins, SRH’s skipper. Sooryavanshi struck a six off Cummins’ very first ball of the encounter.
In total, he faced only four deliveries from Cummins, scoring eight runs—one six and two singles—yet the impact was immediate, setting the tone for his aggressive spell.
After seeing that burst up close, Cummins made it clear he was impressed. He described Sooryavanshi as his “new favourite player,” praising the way the teenager hits the ball and how quickly he’s settled into high-pressure cricket.
In the post-match press conference, Cummins said: “I think he’s my new favourite player. He hits the ball so hard, it’s great to watch. It’s good fun.” He added: “You have to be right on the money as a bowler. If you are not, it’s going a long way. It’s impressive. He has had a great start to his career, and yeah, I like the way he plays. Takes the game on.”
Orange Cap movement: Abhishek leapfrogs Sooryavanshi
Sooryavanshi’s 103 helped him move to the top of the Orange Cap race temporarily. However, Abhishek Sharma overtook him in the same match after smashing 57 off 29 balls.
After eight matches, Abhishek sits with 380 runs, while Sooryavanshi has 357. Sooryavanshi also reached his century in just 36 balls, marking the second-fastest IPL ton by an Indian in the competition. The fastest record in that category belongs to the same left-hander, who had broken the 35-ball mark in the previous IPL edition against the Gujarat Titans.
- After the match: Abhishek Sharma leads with 380 runs (8 matches)
- Sooryavanshi follows with 357 runs (8 matches)
- Sooryavanshi’s century: 36-ball ton, second-fastest by an Indian in the tournament
- Previous fastest: 35-ball mark in the earlier IPL edition vs Gujarat Titans
