Kagiso Rabada left fascinated by 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's batting approach

South Africa pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada has been left impressed by teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the 15-year-old’s explosive six-hitting display in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Rabada briefly found himself on the receiving end during Rajasthan Royals’ clash against Gujarat Titans, where the youngster took on some of the world’s top bowlers without hesitation.

“He’s a great talent. He’s got really fast hands. He’s fearless at the moment. There’s not an ounce of fear in his body. That’s how it normally is when you’re young, it’s really fascinating,” Rabada told PTI. “It’s great to see in the game of cricket, in the IPL. The game is well and truly alive. Who else is going to come in and make headlines of that nature? Let’s wait and see.”

The South African quick, who has led Gujarat Titans’ pace attack this season, said Sooryavanshi’s fearless approach is exactly what makes him a special talent in modern cricket.

“What I’m thinking is just another batter, and I try to get the better of him. He’s definitely an X-factor player, someone who is drawing eyes to the game. Fantastic. Really fast hands. No fear. That’s one hell of a combination,” he added.

“NO FEAR, NO SPECIAL PLAN”

The pacer also downplayed concerns about batters struggling against quality seam and swing bowling, insisting that traditional methods are proving effective again in T20 cricket. He cited the success of bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has also thrived by sticking to disciplined Test-match lengths and conventional movement rather than heavy reliance on variations.

Rabada said he does not approach any batter with special planning based on reputation, even when facing in-form young players like Sooryavanshi.

“I just feel like coming into a season, whatever the team you are playing for, I’m just here to try my best and leave it at that. Whatever the outcome is, it is what it is,” he said.

Rabada, who has been clocking speeds close to 150 kmph this season and already crossed the 20-wicket mark, also reflected on his partnership with India’s Mohammed Siraj, saying their success has come from sticking to their respective roles rather than any complex strategy. The duo has been key to Gujarat Titans’ strong powerplay bowling performances this season.

On his bowling partnership with Siraj, he added: “It’s about forming a partnership and that’s pretty much it. He’s got a job to do and I’ve got a job to do. We’ve bonded a bit off the field too, but it’s nothing orchestrated really. We found out we are bowling together and we try to fulfil that role to the best of our ability. There is no real magic recipe.”

Rabada also refused to directly enter the debate around batters struggling against moving deliveries, saying he prefers not to judge batting standards. “If you bowl well, you will get wickets. If you are not where you want to be, it’s not going to go your way. That’s the balance of cricket,” he said.

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