Vaibhav Sooryavanshi humbled by Sachin Tendulkar's praise: It motivates me

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has reacted to legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar after his explosive knock powered the Rajasthan Royals into Qualifier 2 of the IPL 2026 season. On Wednesday, May 27, the left-handed batter smashed 97 off just 29 balls, including five fours and 12 sixes, as the Royals defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator in Mullanpur.

Following the innings, Tendulkar praised Sooryavanshi’s outstanding bat swing and his ability to clear the front foot to create room for deliveries aimed at his legs, saying it allows him to play his natural attacking game.

Also Read: Watch: Kavya Maran congratulates Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after Eliminator blitz

Speaking to Dhruv Jurel in an interview uploaded by the BCCI, Sooryavanshi said Tendulkar’s praise felt special and motivating. He added that he was initially unaware of the tweet and described it as a huge honour and a proud moment to be appreciated by the ‘God of Cricket’.

“It feels really good sir. It motivates me. You (Dhruv Jurel) just told me about it. I wasn’t even aware. And of course, everyone knows he’s the ‘God of Cricket’. If he has tweeted something like that, it’s a huge deal for us that a legend like him has tweeted about us. Of course, it’s a moment of pride,” Sooryavanshi said.

MY SELF CONFIDENCE IS ALWAYS HIGH

Sooryavanshi dominated from the outset against the Sunrisers, racing to a 16-ball half-century to equal the record for the fastest fifty in an IPL knockout match. The youngster tore into the SRH attack, smashing three consecutive sixes off captain Pat Cummins, and came close to breaking Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest IPL century before falling just three runs short.

Speaking after the match, Sooryavanshi said his self-confidence is always high and that he tries to play according to the team’s requirements. He added that he is capable of building a long innings or attacking with big shots depending on the situation, stressing that helping the team remains his top priority.

“My self-confidence is always high. I just wanted to give us a good start and carry it through because if the ball is coming nicely onto my bat, the longer I play, the more it benefits the team. That’s all I was thinking about while playing today,” Sooryavanshi said.

“I know what kind of game I have. If the team needs me to play a long innings, I can do that. If the team needs sixes, I can do that too. I just try to play according to the situation and back myself.

“A year ago, I didn’t know I would be playing in the IPL so soon. But it feels great that I broke a record. But the focus is on what I can do for the team,” Sooryavanshi added.

The youngster also surpassed Chris Gayle’s long-standing record for the most sixes in a single IPL season, taking his tally to 65 maximums. Sooryavanshi currently holds the Orange Cap in IPL 2026 with 680 runs from 15 matches at an average of 45.33 and a stunning strike rate of 242.85, including one century and four fifties.

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