What Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced in the IPL 2026 Eliminator against SunRisers Hyderabad was far beyond a routine match-winning knock. The 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals sensation played one of the most explosive innings in IPL playoff history, smashing 97 runs off just 29 balls and completely dismantling the SRH bowling attack in New Chandigarh. Although he narrowly missed becoming the fastest centurion in IPL history by just three runs, his fearless innings powered Rajasthan Royals to a commanding 47-run victory and a place in Qualifier 2.
But the impact of Sooryavanshi’s innings went well beyond the result itself. The cricketing world, including several international stars and former legends, was left stunned by the teenager’s extraordinary talent and confidence under pressure.
Among those who publicly praised the young batter was Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer. The former Australian opener shared a heartfelt post on social media, along with a photograph he had taken with Sooryavanshi after the Rajasthan Royals’ win over LSG in Jaipur earlier this month.
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“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had just smashed my Lucknow Super Giants to every part of the ground,” Justin Langer wrote. “He has hit 53 sixes this IPL season — the second most by any batter in any T20 tournament in history behind only Chris Gayle. He is the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket. He is 15,” he added.
Langer admitted that despite spending over three decades in professional cricket, he had rarely seen anything comparable to Sooryavanshi’s fearless batting style. “After 35 years in the game, I simply can’t believe how this kid plays. He is nothing like I have seen before,” Langer stated.
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The Australian great also recalled the now-viral interaction after the RR vs LSG game, where he walked into Sooryavanshi’s post-match media shoot simply to request a photograph with him.
“I’m going to treasure that photo. Good luck with your career. Go well,” Justin Langer said. The moment perfectly captured how quickly Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has become one of the biggest stories in world cricket.
