Rajasthan Royals teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who turned 15 a few days ago, scored a 15-ball half-century in the thumping victory over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match on Monday. Sooryavanshi, the youngest player to score a century in the T20 league, reproduced his form for the India A and India U19 teams in the IPL, smashing some of the finest international stars with ease. On the day, he not only showcased his exemplary batting skills but also impressed with his composure in handling tricky questions from the broadcaster.
Speaking on JioStar after the game, the 15-year-old gave insights into his approach, especially after his blazing fifty left everyone gobsmacked.
“The plan today was simply to execute well in the powerplay. Initially, the wicket felt a bit sticky, but as the ball got older, it started coming onto the bat nicely,” Sooryavanshi told broadcasters.
“I do think about defence, but today our plan was to control the game in the powerplay because in a small chase, that phase is crucial. If the bowling team does well there, the game can tilt their way, but our powerplay went really well,” he added.
Sooryavanshi was then asked if coaches Kumar Sangakkara and Vikram Rathore had advised him to prepare better for his second season, especially with the possibility of bowlers targeting him more this time. However, the youngster clarified that the coaches never said anything like that, but everyone else did.
“The coaches didn’t specifically say that bowlers would attack me – everyone else was already saying that (unko chhodke baaki puri duniya yeh bol hi rahi thi). They just told me that they back me and that I should stick to my natural game and play according to the situation,” Sooryavanshi explained.
He also gave his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal a big shout-out for helping him navigate challenges in the middle.
“My opening partner (Jaiswal) keeps communicating with me after every ball – he tells me when to take singles, keeps giving me the strike, and encourages me to keep playing my shots if the ball is coming nicely onto the bat,” he concluded.