It’s starting to feel like an avalanche rather than a streak. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi keeps finding new ways to raise the ceiling, and yet again the usual language struggles to keep up with what he’s doing. At just 15 years of age, he’s already operating like the world is his playground. Any doubts that he would be “figured out” this season have been misplaced, and the people who thought otherwise have to rethink their verdicts on the game. The pattern has been building for a few days as well—first Jasprit Bumrah, then Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Those aren’t minor names; they’re top-tier, title-winning pace threats. But Sooryavanshi has been smashing them with the ease of a batter facing net bowlers, turning Rajasthan Royals’ chase into something farcical for Royal Challengers Bengaluru after the latter posted 201 runs in their 20 overs.
For Rajat Patidar, it was a brutal kind of pressure. He played a sensational knock, lifting his side from a precarious 125/7 to 201/8. Yet the moment his innings looked like it might carry the day, it was swallowed by a batter 17 years younger. Sooryavanshi struck 78 off only 26 balls, and the pace of his hitting made Chris Gayle’s mark for the fastest-ever IPL century feel like it was in real danger for a period. Such was the force of the onslaught that Patidar appeared to lose his bearings briefly, almost staring through the moment as he delivered the teenager a round of applause.
“The way we started in the powerplay, to get to 200, is a positive sign for us. The way their batters, especially Vaibhav, batted in the powerplay, it made the difference. The way we are batting in last few matches was brilliant but lots of learnings from this game,” Patidar said after the match.
Sooryavanshi’s dismissal arrived with the batter 22 short of what would have been his second IPL century, but even that didn’t stop the momentum. It did, however, spark a wobble—RR then lost three wickets for just nine runs. Still, Dhruv Jurel stood firm at the other end, staying composed and seeing the chase through with a calm, determined finish. Jurel remained unbeaten on 81 off 43 deliveries, ultimately delivering the win for Rajasthan Royals.
Even with the chase closing in, the standout impact remained unmistakably Sooryavanshi’s. The Player of the Match award didn’t go to Jurel despite his unbeaten effort, because the sheer scale of Sooryavanshi’s fireworks made it impossible for anyone else to be the clear choice in the eyes of the coverage.
“We just cannot believe how someone can hit it like that. We think we can not hit like that. He is a great talent. Best is to not say anything to him and we feel good that he is in our team,” Jurel said about his teammate.
Rajasthan’s captain, Riyan Parag, added his own perspective on why Sooryavanshi’s presence matters beyond the boundary. “Everyone loves him and having him around. He likes eating stuff and going out. We try to make that available for him. He is still a kid. And he loves batting,” Parag said, capturing the team’s affection for the youngster as well as the joy he brings to the group.
