Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hailed by former wicketkeeper-batter for 'mature approach' for RR in IPL 2026

Published - 12 Apr 2026, 16:38 IST | Updated - 12 Apr 2026, 17:26 IST

Young batting sensation has taken the Indian Premier League 2026 by storm with powerful performances in the marquee T20 tournament for Rajasthan Royals. He was named Player of the Match in the recent clash between RR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru for scoring 78 runs off just 26 balls in Guwahati. His blitzkrieg has left former wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim in awe of the the Samastipur-born.

The cricketer-turned-commentator has said that the way Sooryavanshi took the RCB bowlers to the cleaners on Friday was simply mind-boggling to witness. Karim finds watching Sooryavanshi as a pleasure to bat.

“This was an astounding display. It feels like the era of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has just begun, and it’s a pleasure to watch him bat. There is an abundance of talent, combined with confident stroke play and a mature approach. He looked equally comfortable against pace and quality spin, with shots all around the wicket," Karim said via JioStar.

Karim further feels that Sooryavanshi took a mature approach to reaching a century once he realised he was getting closer to the three-figure mark but ultimately failed to do so. However, the former cricketer is impressed that he is following such a mindset with the bat, despite being looked upon as a batter who follows a very haphazard approach.

"It also seemed like he was building towards a hundred after his aggressive start in the powerplay. He began rotating the strike and looking for singles. Unfortunately, it didn’t materialise, but it reflects a very sound mindset,” the former India wicketkeeper-batter expressed further.

With Sooryavanshi currently holding the IPL 2026 Orange Cap with 200 runs from four matches, it will be intriguing to see if he bats with any pressure in the upcoming contest for RR, which will be played against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal on Monday, April 13.