Last Updated on 22 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi already has people in awe of his abilities, but his knock of 97 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator was something else. Fans and experts are once again mesmerised by the youngster’s batting and six-hitting abilities. 

Former legends of the game, AB de Villiers and Anil Kumble, were all praise for the youngster’s talent and execution after his match-winning knock against SRH. 

Composure and clarity key for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – AB de Villiers

Talking on JioHotstar, AB de Villiers said, “What stood out most about Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s innings was his composure and clarity under pressure at just 15 years of age. Pat Cummins and Sunrisers Hyderabad kept trying different plans, constantly changing the field and mixing their lengths to disrupt his rhythm, but he stayed completely locked into his own bubble throughout the innings.” 

He further continued, “That level of game awareness in a knockout match is remarkable for someone so young. Whether they bowled short or tried to surprise him with fuller deliveries, he seemed prepared for every plan and was in control against all of them. Scoring 97 off just 29 balls in an Eliminator, while dominating all parts of the ground, was an extraordinary display of fearless batting and showed why he is already being spoken about alongside some of the most explosive players the IPL has seen.”

Talking about his pre-match routine, AB said that Vaibhav reminds him a little of Matthew Hayden and how he used to visualise on the pitch. He said, “What’s most impressive about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the clarity he already has around his preparation and routines at just 15 years of age. Hearing him talk about visualising matchups, studying bowlers, and mentally preparing before games shows a level of maturity that is very rare at that age. It actually reminded me a little of Matthew Hayden, who used to spend time visualising on the pitch before batting.”

AB de Villiers also touched on how Sooryavanshi focuses on his processes. He doesn’t copy others, making him difficult for opponents to deal with.

“Over the course of his career, many of those routines will evolve, but the important thing is that Vaibhav is already building his own habits and processes instead of trying to copy others. The best players in the world eventually discover what works authentically for them, and Vaibhav already seems to have that understanding very early in his journey,” de Villiers concluded.

“Pressure doesn’t affect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi”: Anil Kumble

Former Indian captain Anil Kumble said that pressure has never seemed to affect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi throughout the season, and this innings was another example of that. The game was completely shifted in Rajasthan’s favour within just 29 balls, as Sunrisers Hyderabad were put under immense pressure right from the start. It was also noted that the plans prepared by Pat Cummins and the bowling attack were disrupted within the first few overs, as no clear way to bowl to him could be found. 

“To play an innings of this magnitude in a knockout game at the age of 15 is extraordinary,” Kumble said. “One of the biggest reasons Rajasthan Royals are now in Qualifier 2 is because of the impact he has had throughout the tournament, and holding the Orange Cap at this stage only highlights how remarkable his season has been.”