Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Praful Hinge made a striking first impression in the IPL, picking up four wickets on debut and getting the better of Rajasthan Royals youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Sooryavanshi fell for a duck after misreading a short ball, then edging to the keeper’s side where Salil Arora took the catch behind the stumps.
But the story flipped in the reverse encounter on Saturday. This time, Sooryavanshi stepped in with a clear intent and attacked from the outset, striking four straight sixes off the opening over against Hinge. In a clip shared by the Rajasthan Royals on their social media channels, the 15-year-old explained that he had a well-defined plan and aimed to make his point with the bat.
“I went with a clear plan against the bowler. After getting out in the last match, I went back and checked my phone. I saw a lot of things. I usually don’t pay attention to those things, but when someone says something to me personally, it affects me a bit. I only wanted to answer with my bat,” he said.
The big hitting was only the beginning. Sooryavanshi went on to post a 36-ball century, turning the innings into a standout display of timing and aggression. Even though SRH ultimately won the match, the teenager’s batting fireworks drew admiration from supporters and cricket voices alike.
He also spoke about the mindset behind his knock, telling RR team manager Romi Bhinder, “You know how important it was for me. I was just trying to do exactly what I did in practice yesterday. I was playing with a free flow from the very first ball, and I planned to do the exact same thing today.”
Sooryavanshi’s afternoon didn’t end without concern, though—he had to leave the field during the SRH innings due to cramps. He later assured everyone that he was fine and expected to be ready for the Royals’ upcoming fixture against Punjab Kings.
“It’s fine now. I’m feeling better. I don’t know, my foot got stuck. I already had an ankle problem, so to avoid putting too much force on it, I pulled my hamstring. But it’s better now. I will recover in time for the next match,” he added.
