Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif expressed his admiration for Rajasthan Royals’ young talent, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, following his remarkable innings of 78 runs off just 26 balls. This performance was instrumental in the Royals successfully chasing down a target of 202 runs set by Royal Challengers Bengaluru during a match in Guwahati on Friday.
Kaif took to social media to share his thoughts, stating, “It’s unprecedented for a 15-year-old to make T20 batting appear so effortless. He has successfully hit boundaries off renowned bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar right from their first deliveries. Vaibhav plays cricket as if he’s in a video game.”
This IPL season, Sooryavanshi has showcased his ability to dominate against top-tier bowlers, including Bumrah and Hazlewood. In the match on Friday, he notably struck 7 sixes and 8 fours against the RCB bowling attack.
At just 15 years old, Sooryavanshi made headlines last year as the youngest centurion in IPL history, scoring 101 runs against the Gujarat Titans. So far in this season, he has hit a total of 18 sixes and 18 fours.
During his innings against Hazlewood, he managed to hit one six and three fours off four deliveries, while he scored 24 runs off nine balls facing Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Earlier in the tournament, he had also impressed with a performance against the Mumbai Indians, scoring 39 runs that included two sixes off Bumrah, contributing to the Royals’ victory by 27 runs.
Sooryavanshi shared his approach to batting, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the ball rather than the bowler. “It’s always in the back of my mind who is bowling, but I concentrate on playing the ball and sticking to my game. My father, coaches, and my guardian Romi sir constantly remind me that the journey is long, and I should concentrate on my process and game without getting distracted,” he explained in an interview with broadcasters after the Royals’ six-wicket triumph on Friday.
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