‘It’s amazing’: Hardik Pandya in awe of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fearless rise
Hardik Pandya lauded 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's fearless 39 off 14 balls, which, alongside Jaiswal's 77, propelled Rajasthan Royals to 150/3. Mumbai Indians fell short, restricted to 123/9 in the rain-hit IPL clash. Pandya attributed the loss to his bowlers' lack of execution, urging his team to learn and bounce back stronger.
NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya was left in awe of teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the youngster’s explosive knock helped Rajasthan Royals secure a convincing 27-run win in a rain-hit IPL 2026 clash on Tuesday. In a match reduced to 11 overs per side in Guwahati, Sooryavanshi’s breathtaking 39 off just 14 balls, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten 77, powered Rajasthan to 150/3 — a total that proved well beyond Mumbai’s reach as they were restricted to 123/9. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW! While the result pushed MI down to seventh in the standings, Pandya chose to spotlight the fearless batting of the 15-year-old opener, who has quickly become one of the most talked-about names in the league. “It’s quite fascinating to see a 17 or a 16-year-old boy playing the way he played,” Pandya said after the game.
“At the same time, we discussed so much about him in our preparation. Still, the way he bats — the kind of fearlessness he has, the kind of shots he plays — it’s amazing to see. I wish him absolute good luck for the future.
” — IPL (@IPL) Sooryavanshi wasted no time making an impact, taking on premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah with audacious strokeplay, including multiple sixes that stunned the opposition and shifted momentum decisively in RR’s favour. Pandya admitted that the opening duo of Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi effectively “threw Mumbai out of the game” in the powerplay itself. 130103027 Despite the batting brilliance on display, Pandya pointed to his team’s bowling as the primary reason behind the defeat.