Not a single spectator at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium stayed seated when Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s thunderstorm came to the crease, dismantling the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2026 on Tuesday. The Rajasthan Royals batter struck 93 off just 38 balls to put his side firmly in the hunt for the playoffs, a knock so special that even Lucknow owner Sanji Goenka rose from his seat to applaud the 15-year-old. The admiration, however, spilled beyond the boundary ropes—after the match, Sooryavanshi and Goenka shared a brief chat, and the RR star’s respectful gesture toward Goenka’s wife captured the attention of everyone in the stadium.
Stand-up applause and a touching post-match meeting
As Sooryavanshi walked back toward the dressing room after falling short of a century, Goenka was already on his feet, clapping for the teenage sensation. Soon after, the pair met briefly on the ground. In that moment, Sooryavanshi also touched the feet of Goenka’s wife as a mark of respect, turning the post-match interaction into a headline in its own right.
Sunil Gavaskar’s playful jab
Seeing the conversation between the Lucknow chief and the Rajasthan youngster, India great Sunil Gavaskar couldn’t resist a joke. He suggested Goenka would soon be looking to secure the teenager’s services.
“I will be bidding for you soon,” Gavaskar said after the game, highlighting how far Sooryavanshi’s influence has reached—so much so that even rival franchises and their bosses now view him with genuine interest.
How Sooryavanshi built the innings
On the field, Sooryavanshi began with caution against the Super Giants, with Rajasthan pursuing a challenging chase of 221 runs. After the match, he explained that the plan was to stay at the crease for as long as possible, which led to a deliberate change in tempo early on.
- He said the mindset was clear: he knew he could still find boundaries and sixes at will, so there was no need to rush immediately.
- His approach focused on taking time, keeping control, and trying to carry the innings through to the end.
- He emphasised pacing over urgency—watching the surface and then playing according to the match situation.
- He added that while sitting outside during Lucknow’s bowling phase, he felt the wicket looked favourable, which reinforced the decision not to sprint at the start.
- He also noted that if he batted for a longer stretch, it would benefit the batter at the other end as the chase developed.
Key contributions in the chase
Sooryavanshi’s match-defining innings came in explosive fashion: 93 runs from 38 balls, featuring 10 maximums and 7 fours. He received sharp support from Dhruv Jurel, who added 53 off 38 deliveries with 6 sixes and 3 fours, helping Rajasthan surge forward in the high-pressure run chase.
