Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour gave an encouraging update on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the 15-year-old left the field during the IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday. The concern surfaced on the last ball of the third over, delivered by Jofra Archer, when Ishan Kishan struck the ball over cover and Sooryavanshi sprinted to prevent it reaching the boundary ropes. While chasing the ball, he suddenly stopped mid-stride, grabbed his hamstring, and showed clear signs of discomfort. The physio rushed in, assessed him for a couple of minutes, and the on-field call was to take him off.
Key takeaways
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi suffered hamstring discomfort and was removed from the field after the incident during the third over.
- Rajasthan’s coach Vikram Rathour said the injury does not appear serious and that Sooryavanshi is “okay” for now.
- In the SRH vs RR match, Sooryavanshi struck a 103 off 36 balls, featuring 5 fours and 12 sixes.
- Sooryavanshi posted a strike rate of 278.38 and is currently second on the Orange Cap list, behind Abhishek Sharma.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad chased 229 with five wickets in hand and nine balls to spare, reaching the target thanks to Ishan Kishan’s 74 and Abhishek’s 57.
- With the five-wicket win, SRH climbed to third place in the points table.
Rathour’s update after the hamstring scare
After the match concluded with Sunrisers Hyderabad winning by five wickets, Rathour was asked about Sooryavanshi’s condition. He revealed that treatment had been administered and that the youngster was showing positive signs. Rathour said the boy felt something in his hamstring, but that he now looked fine after being attended to, adding that the team would have a clearer picture within a day or two, though nothing suggested a major issue at the moment.
Rathour’s message at the post-match press conference was straightforward: the hamstring had been treated, and the immediate assessment pointed to no serious injury.
Sooryavanshi’s whirlwind knock and IPL 2026 momentum
Despite the brief scare, Sooryavanshi had delivered an unforgettable performance against SRH. He produced a 36-ball century and finished with 103 runs, supported by 5 boundaries and a flurry of 12 maximums. His innings came at a strike rate of 278.38, underlining how quickly he was able to change the tempo of the game.
In the aftermath, Rathour struggled to put the brilliance into words and described the teenager as a truly special talent, noting that he has been playing exceptionally well.
The 2026 season has seen Sooryavanshi pile up rapid contributions: he has already registered three half-centuries, each coming off only 15 balls. On Saturday, he also recorded the second-fastest IPL century by an Indian batter. The benchmark he set previously belongs to himself as well, having reached a hundred off 35 deliveries against the Gujarat Titans last year.
Across eight matches in IPL 2026 so far, Sooryavanshi has amassed 357 runs at an average of 44.63, with a strike rate of 234.86. His scoring rate places him ahead of several notable names in the season’s batting conversation, including Abhishek Sharma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and Prabhsimran Singh. On the Orange Cap leaderboard, he currently sits in second position, trailing Abhishek Sharma.
How SRH chased 229 and moved up the table
Turning to the chase, Sunrisers Hyderabad successfully hunted down the target of 229 with five wickets in hand and nine balls remaining. The run chase was powered by two key knocks: Ishan Kishan scored 74, while Abhishek Sharma contributed 57. Their combined efforts ensured SRH stayed in control and converted the pursuit into a convincing win.
With the result, Sunrisers Hyderabad also strengthened their position in the standings, moving to third place on the points table.
