Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been the biggest attraction of IPL 2026 and is making headlines with his fearless batting and unbelievable shot-making. From India to Australia, England, and South Africa, cricket fans and former players cannot stop talking about the teenage sensation from Bihar.
From Sachin Tendulkar, Chris Gayle, and Michael Vaughan to AB de Villiers and Ricky Ponting, several legendary cricketers have praised the youngster for playing with so much confidence and attacking game at such a young age. They have predicted a bright future for the 15-year-old batter.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hits brutal 97 off 29 in IPL 2026 Eliminator to stun cricket world
On May 27, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again grabbed all the attention during Rajasthan Royals’ Eliminator clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad. In the high-pressure game, the young left-handed batter played one of the most explosive knocks seen in IPL history.
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The teenage sensation smashed 97 runs in just 29 balls, hitting 5 fours and 12 massive sixes, at an unbelievable strike rate of over 330. That innings helped Rajasthan Royals to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs and qualify for the IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans on May 29.
The teenager is leading the Orange Cap race with a massive 680 runs in 15 matches with the help of one century and four fifties. Vaibhav has already smashed 65 sixes and 55 fours this season, which shows how dangerous he has been for bowlers.
Mohammad Yousuf compares Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to Shahid Afridi after batting storm in IPL 2026
The way the 15-year-old has been dominating world-class bowlers has left everyone stunned. After his latest batting storm, Vaibhav received massive praise from Pakistan. Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf was highly impressed after watching Vaibhav’s innings against SRH.
Even the former Pakistan batter compared the young Indian star’s fearless approach with former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who was famous for his attacking batting style and aggressive mindset. However, many fans trolled Afridi over the comparison on social media.
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Mohammad Yousuf posted on X (formerly Twitter): “15-year-old cricket sensation #VaibhavSooryavanshi reminds me of @SAfridiofficial: young, fearless, explosive, full of energy. The future is here! 🔥🏏 #Cricket #IPL2026”
15-year-old cricket sensation #Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reminds me of @SAfridiofficial young, fearless, explosive, full of energy. The future is here! 🔥🏏 #Cricket #IPL2026
— Mohammad Yousaf (@yousaf1788) May 28, 2026
Sunil Gavaskar gives special advice to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar recently shared what he told Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during their viral moment before the IPL 2026 Eliminator between the Rajasthan Royals and the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Before the match started, Vaibhav walked towards the commentary area during warm-ups and touched the feet of Gavaskar and former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar to take their blessings. The heartwarming moment went viral on social media, with fans praising the teenager for showing respect despite becoming one of the biggest stars of IPL 2026.
Now, the legendary batter shared, as quoted by India Today: “What I would say to him is exactly what I said to him yesterday when he came just before the match, and we were doing a show on the ground. When he came and he touched my feet, all I said to him was, "Lage raho, bete, lage raho" (keep going, keep going), and that is exactly what I would say if I were batting with him down the other end.”
