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Former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers has lauded teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for his sensational knock in the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), calling his composure and game awareness "remarkable" for a 15-year-old.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) thrashed SRH by 47 runs in the Eliminator clash and qualified for the second qualifier, where they will face Gujarat Titans for a spot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final, where the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are already waiting. Speaking on JioHotstar, de Villiers highlighted Sooryavanshi's ability to stay calm under pressure despite constant tactical changes from SRH captain Pat Cummins and his bowling unit. "What stood out most about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi'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," JioStar expert de Villiers said. The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi made 97 runs off just 29 balls with the help of 12 sixes and five fours, which helped his side post 243/8 in the knockout clash. In this season, Sooryavanshi has smashed 680 runs in 15 innings at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate of 242.85, including a century and four fifties, with a best score of 103. He has smashed 55 fours and 65 sixes in 280 balls faced. He further praised the youngster's awareness and ability to counter varied bowling plans in a high-pressure knockout match. "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," he added. De Villiers also highlighted the explosive nature of the innings, noting the batter's dominance across the ground. "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," he said. Legendary Indian cricketer Anil Kumble also praised Sooryavanshi's fearless approach and impact on RR's campaign. "Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has shown throughout the season that pressure simply doesn't seem to affect him, and this innings was another example of that. In just 29 balls, he completely changed the direction of the game and put Sunrisers Hyderabad under immense pressure right from the start. Pat Cummins and the bowlers came in with plans, but within the first couple of overs, those plans were already disrupted because they simply didn't know where to bowl to him," JioStar expert Kumble said. Kumble added, "To play an innings of this magnitude in a knockout game at the age of 15 is extraordinary. 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." (ANI)
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