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Ever since 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took IPL 2025 by storm and made a 35-ball century, bowlers across the world have been scrambling to find a way to get him out.
Now a full year older and wiser, he hasn't given up his aggressive ways and, in fact, has bettered his performances from last year. The southpaw from Bihar held the Orange Cap in IPL 2026 for a while and still is in contention for the cap as he is currently the fourth-highest run-getter of this season.
So far, the 15-year-old has made 246 runs from six matches at an eye-watering strike rate of 237. He also has two fifties, both of which he reached in just 15 balls.
"Probably pull a calf or a hamstring before your captain asks you to bowl" - Steven Finn
Talking on the "For The Love of Cricket" Podcast, which is hosted by former England pacer Stuart Broad, Broad's compatriot and also a former pacer, Steven Finn, initially joked that bowlers may have to pretend to be injured if they don't want to bowl to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
"Probably pull a calf or a hamstring or something before your captain asks you to bowl," said Finn jokingly.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has taken reputed names like Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood to the cleaners this year and has had everyone wracking their brains for an answer.
"It looks incredibly hard, doesn't it? Even just watching the videos of him training in the nets against Jofra Archer, who is trying everything. Full and wide, short, full and straight... and all of them were going to the boundary," Finn observed.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could be caught by surprise by a tight line
Finn said that the best way to get Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out could be to catch him off guard. He went on to say that the best way of achieving this was by bowling by a tight line around the back of a length and protecting the leg side with fielders.
"When someone likes to play as free-flowing as he does, you'd think a few in and around the tight line and the back of the length, or over the top of the stumps, try to protect the leg-side to begin with," Finn said.
"And then if you could throw in like a full, slow, wide one and make him reach for it out there on the back of three or four tight deliveries, you could catch him off guard," he added.
"Pot of luck right now" - Steven Finn
Finn eventually concluded by saying that the way Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is currently batting, bowlers may need luck on their side as well apart from just their skill if they have to dismiss the teenager.
"At the moment it seems to be pot luck as to whether you get him or not," Finn further said.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) started the season very strongly with four wins in a row, but have now lost their last two matches. RR are currently in third place on the points table with eight points from six matches.
RR will face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow on April 22 for their next match. LSG themselves are on a three-match losing streak and are placed ninth on the points table. Depending on what happens on Tuesday, the clash against LSG could provide Sooryavanshi with another opportunity to push himself for the Orange Cap.
Ravindra Jadeja to Himmat Singh, 1 run, Himmat Singh goes forward to take off break ball of good length aimed on the stumps, executing a confident cut that sent the ball sailing towards point for 1 run.
End of over 14 (9 runs)
Ravi Bishnoi to Himmat Singh, 1 run, An accurately pitched googly on the off stump, Himmat Singh hangs in the crease to make a confident push, sending the ball towards deep mid wicket for 1 run.
Ravi Bishnoi to Mitchell Marsh, 1 run, googly, back of length, on the stumps, goes forward, plays , edged!! towards the point for 1 run.
Himmat Singh b R Bishnoi 15 (15) Ravi Bishnoi to Himmat Singh, no run, b R Bishnoi, Bowled out !! googly, good length, on the off stump, Himmat Singh hangs in the crease, tries to take on the bowler but fails to get the timing right. The ball goes past the bat and crashes into the stumps, and the batter is bowled out in disappointing fashion.
Ravi Bishnoi to Mukul Choudhary, 1 run, Mukul Choudhary hangs in the crease to take legbreak of good length aimed on the stumps, executing a confident defensive shot that sent the ball sailing towards deep mid wicket for 1 run.
Ravi Bishnoi to Mitchell Marsh, 1 run, An accurately pitched legbreak on the off stump, Mitchell Marsh hangs in the crease to make a confident drive, sending the ball towards deep mid wicket for 1 run.
Ravi Bishnoi to Mukul Choudhary, Six, Six !! What a delivery! legbreak lands right on the off stump, Mukul Choudhary hangs in the crease, exhibits impeccable timing as batter hammers sloge sweep sending it flying to the deep mid wicket region for a remarkable Maximum!
End of over 15 (10 runs)
Nandre Burger to Mitchell Marsh, Six, Six !! What a delivery! fast ball lands right on the off stump, Mitchell Marsh hangs in the crease, exhibits impeccable timing as batter hammers cut sending it flying to the long off region for a remarkable Maximum!
Nandre Burger to Mitchell Marsh, no run, Dot ball !! fast ball, good length, on the off stump, goes forward, plays defensive shot to the short cover.
Mitchell Marsh c R Parag b N Burger 55 (41) Nandre Burger to Mitchell Marsh, no run, c R Parag b N Burger, Caught out !! fast ball, good length, on the off stump, Mitchell Marsh goes forward, takes a big risk by attempting pull towards long off, but unfortunately, the ball flies towards Riyan Parag, who displays excellent fielding skills to complete the catch, resulting in the dismissal of Mitchell Marsh.
Nandre Burger to Mohammad Shami, no run, Dot ball !! outswinger, back of length, on the off stump, hangs in the crease, plays defensive shot to the short cover.
Nandre Burger to Mohammad Shami, no run, Dot ball !! outswinger, good length, on the off stump, Mohammad Shami hangs in the crease to the delivery, tries to defend it with full face of the bat, but the ball jags away at the last moment, beating the bat.
Nandre Burger to Mohammad Shami, Six, Six !! With a brilliant inswinger on the off stump, Mohammad Shami hangs in the crease and showcases power-hitting prowess as batter unleashes a spectacular pull to deep mid wicket for a colossal Maximum!
End of over 16 (12 runs)
Mukul Choudhary c R Parag b B Sharma 7 (3) Brijesh Sharma to Mukul Choudhary, no run, c R Parag b B Sharma, Caught out !! inswinger, back of length, on the off stump, Mukul Choudhary hangs in the crease, takes a big risk by attempting drive towards mid off, but unfortunately, the ball flies towards Riyan Parag, who displays excellent fielding skills to complete the catch, resulting in the dismissal of Mukul Choudhary.
Brijesh Sharma to Mayank Yadav, 1 wide, Wide Ball !! outswinger back of length on the leg stump, That sails wide of the leg-stump, leaving Mayank Yadav with no chance to make contact. The umpire calls it a wide.
Brijesh Sharma to Mayank Yadav, 1 run, An accurately pitched bouncer on the off stump, Mayank Yadav hangs in the crease to make a confident cut, sending the ball towards third man for 1 run.
Mohammed Shami b B Sharma 6 (4) Brijesh Sharma to Mohammad Shami, no run, b B Sharma, Bowled out !! fast ball, yorker, on the stumps, A bold move from Mohammad Shami as batter hangs in the crease, plays it, but it proves to be batter's downfall. The ball crashes into stumps, and the stumps are rattled. Bowled out!
Brijesh Sharma to Digvesh Singh Rathi, 1 run, An accurately pitched fast ball on the stumps, Digvesh Singh Rathi hangs in the crease to make a confident push, sending the ball towards deep square leg for 1 run.
Brijesh Sharma to Mayank Yadav, no run, Dot ball !! fast ball, good length, on the off stump, hangs in the crease, plays pull to the slip.
Brijesh Sharma to Mayank Yadav, no run, Dot ball !! fast ball, back of length, on the off stump, Mayank Yadav hangs in the crease and slash punch towards mid off, but the fielder reacts promptly and blocks it right away.
End of over 17 (3 runs)
Jofra Archer to Digvesh Singh Rathi, 1 run, Digvesh Singh Rathi goes back and plays a well-timed cut off an bouncer delivers at a back of length by the bowler, but the ball lands safely in the hands of the fielder at third man for 1 run.
Jofra Archer to Mayank Yadav, Four, Four !! inswinger, good length, on the off stump, Mayank Yadav hangs in the crease, plays cut in the air to third man. Ball finds the ropes for four.
Mayank Yadav c D Jurel b J Archer 5 (5) Jofra Archer to Mayank Yadav, no run, c D Jurel b J Archer, Caught out !! inswinger, full length, on the off stump, Mayank Yadav hangs in the crease and takes a big risk by attempting cut towards slip, edged!! and flies straight to Dhruv Jurel, who displays excellent fielding skills to complete the catch, resulting in the dismissal of Mayank Yadav.
Jofra Archer to Mohsin Khan, no run, Dot ball !! inswinger, good length, on the stumps, Mohsin Khan goes back, tucks drive toward the fielder at short cover, who halts the ball.
Jofra Archer to Mohsin Khan, no run, Dot ball !! inswinger, full length, on the stumps, goes back, plays defensive shot.
Mohsin Khan b J Archer 0 (3) Jofra Archer to Mohsin Khan, no run, b J Archer, Bowled out !! fast ball, yorker, on the stumps, Mohsin Khan hangs in the crease, tries to take on the bowler but fails to get the timing right. The ball goes past the bat and crashes into the stumps, and the batter is bowled out in disappointing fashion.
End of over 18 (5 runs)