Guwahati: Rajasthan Royals’ teen batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on Monday said the team’s senior players and support staff, including head coach Kumar Sangakkara, have given him the freedom to keep playing his attacking game.
The 15-year-old prodigy blazed away to a 15-ball fifty to power RR to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in their IPL opener here, three days after his birthday.
While he missed the cake cutting on the day of his birthday as he had gone off to sleep, Sooryavanshi belatedly celebrated turning a year older with his excellent performance on the field.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who turned 15 on March 27, kept his birthday low-key with the Rajasthan Royals squad. “I didn’t really do anything outside – there was supposed to be a cake cutting, but I went to sleep early to avoid the cake-smearing,” he said with a smile, explaining his early bedtime routine.
His disciplined approach clearly paid off on the field. Rajasthan Royals chased down CSK’s modest total of 127 with 47 balls to spare, thanks largely to Sooryavanshi’s explosive start. The young opener blasted four fours and five sixes at a staggering strike rate of 305.88, turning the chase into a one-sided affair.
Reflecting on his batting, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi highlighted the clear team plan. “The plan today was simply to execute well in the power play. Initially, the wicket felt a bit sticky, but as the ball got older, it started coming onto the bat nicely,” he shared.
He added, “I do think about defence, but today we planned 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.”
His fiery knock included a 15-ball fifty, one of the fastest in IPL history for a teenager. Opening with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi put CSK’s bowlers under immediate pressure, including taking on experienced spinners and pacers with fearless hitting.
Support staff played a reassuring role amid expectations of CSK targeting the youngster. “The coaches didn’t specifically say that bowlers would attack me; everyone else was already saying that. But they just told me that they back me and that I should stick to my natural game and play according to the situation,” Sooryavanshi revealed.
His understanding with opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal was another highlight. “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 said.
This partnership laid the perfect foundation, allowing Rajasthan Royals to cruise to victory without much trouble.
The win gives RR an ideal start to IPL 2026. For the young prodigy from Bihar, the message is clear: skip the cake-smearing, sleep early, and let the bat do the talking.
