Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's India debut loading? Captain Suryakumar Yadav already a fan
IPL 2026: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's fearless batting is now turning into a genuine India selection conversation. After the 15-year-old's breathtaking Eliminator blitz against SRH, India T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav joined the growing list of cricket stars praising the RR teenager.
India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav heaped praise on teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the Rajasthan Royals batter produced another jaw-dropping innings during the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The 15-year-old fell agonisingly short of a historic century, but his breathtaking assault still left some of the biggest names in cricket stunned.
Sooryavanshi smashed 97 off just 29 balls in Mullanpur on Wednesday, hammering 12 sixes and five fours at a staggering strike rate above 334 as Rajasthan Royals stormed into the next stage of the playoffs. Following the innings, Suryakumar posted a heartfelt message on social media, calling the youngster a “star in the making.”
SRH vs RR: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
“Chin up boy...what a CLASS inning, you’ve taken everyone’s breath away. Star in the making,” Suryakumar tweeted after the match.
The innings triggered reactions across the cricket world, with Sachin Tendulkar, Chris Gayle and Michael Vaughan among those praising the RR batter. Even before the Eliminator blitz, Vaughan had suggested that India should already start considering the teenager for the senior side after his fearless performances throughout IPL 2026.
Sooryavanshi has now scored 680 runs this season at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate of 242.86, turning himself into one of the biggest stories of the tournament.
HOW SOORYAVANSHI DISMANTLED SRH BOWLING
Sunrisers Hyderabad tried almost everything against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on Wednesday night.
Nothing worked.
Pat Cummins kept changing the field almost every over. The SRH captain regularly walked up to his senior players after every six, searching for answers. Yorkers were tried, then came the bouncers. Slower balls, cutters, wide lines outside off, SRH threw almost every variation possible at Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Vaibhav kept launching all of them into the stands.
The teenager completely dominated SRH’s bowling attack from the beginning, taking on Cummins with the same fearlessness he had already shown this season against the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood and Kagiso Rabada.
Anything full disappeared straight back over the bowler’s head. Short balls were carved over third man. Deliveries drifting onto his pads vanished over fine leg with astonishing ease.
Even Cummins, regarded as one of the smartest captains in world cricket, simply ran out of answers.
Vaibhav eventually finished with 97 off 29 deliveries, missing what would have been the fastest century in IPL history by only three runs. But the innings still rewrote record books.
His 12 sixes against SRH took his tally to 65 maximums this season, the most by any batter in a single IPL season and the highest in any T20 tournament. In the process, he overtook Chris Gayle’s long-standing IPL record of 59 sixes from the 2012 season.
What made the feat even more absurd was the speed.
Gayle needed 456 deliveries to reach his tally back then. Vaibhav crossed it in only 266 balls.
Later after the match, the teenager admitted he was not even aware he was close to the fastest IPL century record during his innings.
INDIA DEBUT LOADING FOR VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI?
That conversation is already becoming louder with every innings.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has already publicly backed Vaibhav for a future India debut, while Suryakumar Yadav’s latest praise has only increased the excitement among fans to see the 15-year-old eventually wear the India jersey.
Right after IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi will join the India A setup for the upcoming Sri Lanka tri-series, which could become another important step in his rapid rise.
However, not everybody believes India should rush the teenager into senior cricket immediately.
Several former India cricketers have urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to avoid overburdening Vaibhav too early, warning against fast-tracking him straight into the senior side before allowing his game and temperament more time to develop naturally.
For now though, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is focused more on helping RR win their second IPL title rather than personal milestones.
RR will play Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 in Dharamshala on Friday, May 29. The two teams will battle for a place in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav heaped praise on teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the Rajasthan Royals batter produced another jaw-dropping innings during the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The 15-year-old fell agonisingly short of a historic century, but his breathtaking assault still left some of the biggest names in cricket stunned.
Sooryavanshi smashed 97 off just 29 balls in Mullanpur on Wednesday, hammering 12 sixes and five fours at a staggering strike rate above 334 as Rajasthan Royals stormed into the next stage of the playoffs. Following the innings, Suryakumar posted a heartfelt message on social media, calling the youngster a “star in the making.”
SRH vs RR: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
“Chin up boy...what a CLASS inning, you’ve taken everyone’s breath away. Star in the making,” Suryakumar tweeted after the match.
The innings triggered reactions across the cricket world, with Sachin Tendulkar, Chris Gayle and Michael Vaughan among those praising the RR batter. Even before the Eliminator blitz, Vaughan had suggested that India should already start considering the teenager for the senior side after his fearless performances throughout IPL 2026.
Sooryavanshi has now scored 680 runs this season at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate of 242.86, turning himself into one of the biggest stories of the tournament.
HOW SOORYAVANSHI DISMANTLED SRH BOWLING
Sunrisers Hyderabad tried almost everything against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on Wednesday night.
Nothing worked.
Pat Cummins kept changing the field almost every over. The SRH captain regularly walked up to his senior players after every six, searching for answers. Yorkers were tried, then came the bouncers. Slower balls, cutters, wide lines outside off, SRH threw almost every variation possible at Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Vaibhav kept launching all of them into the stands.
The teenager completely dominated SRH’s bowling attack from the beginning, taking on Cummins with the same fearlessness he had already shown this season against the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood and Kagiso Rabada.
Anything full disappeared straight back over the bowler’s head. Short balls were carved over third man. Deliveries drifting onto his pads vanished over fine leg with astonishing ease.
Even Cummins, regarded as one of the smartest captains in world cricket, simply ran out of answers.
Vaibhav eventually finished with 97 off 29 deliveries, missing what would have been the fastest century in IPL history by only three runs. But the innings still rewrote record books.
His 12 sixes against SRH took his tally to 65 maximums this season, the most by any batter in a single IPL season and the highest in any T20 tournament. In the process, he overtook Chris Gayle’s long-standing IPL record of 59 sixes from the 2012 season.
What made the feat even more absurd was the speed.
Gayle needed 456 deliveries to reach his tally back then. Vaibhav crossed it in only 266 balls.
Later after the match, the teenager admitted he was not even aware he was close to the fastest IPL century record during his innings.
INDIA DEBUT LOADING FOR VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI?
That conversation is already becoming louder with every innings.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has already publicly backed Vaibhav for a future India debut, while Suryakumar Yadav’s latest praise has only increased the excitement among fans to see the 15-year-old eventually wear the India jersey.
Right after IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi will join the India A setup for the upcoming Sri Lanka tri-series, which could become another important step in his rapid rise.
However, not everybody believes India should rush the teenager into senior cricket immediately.
Several former India cricketers have urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to avoid overburdening Vaibhav too early, warning against fast-tracking him straight into the senior side before allowing his game and temperament more time to develop naturally.
For now though, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is focused more on helping RR win their second IPL title rather than personal milestones.
RR will play Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 in Dharamshala on Friday, May 29. The two teams will battle for a place in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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