IPL 2026: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets brutal reality check from Matthew Hayden- ‘Need to...’
Matthew Hayden praised young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's explosive 36 off 16 balls but stressed the need for longer innings when chasing big totals. He highlighted Gujarat Titans' consistent top-order batting, balancing aggression with longevity, as key to their success. Shubman Gill's 84 led Gujarat to a commanding 229/6, ultimately securing a 77-run victory.
Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again showed why he is considered one of the most exciting young talents in the IPL, but Matthew Hayden believes the Rajasthan Royals opener still has an important lesson to learn in T20 cricket. During Rajasthan’s massive chase of 230 against the Gujarat Titans at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, Sooryavanshi looked dangerous from the very beginning. The left-hander smashed 36 runs off just 16 balls and briefly gave the Royals hope of pulling off a stunning chase.
However, Mohammed Siraj removed the teenager at a crucial moment, and Rajasthan never truly recovered from that setback as they eventually slumped to a crushing 77-run defeat. Speaking after the game, Hayden admitted he was impressed by the fearless approach shown by the young batter. But the former Australia opener also explained why quick-fire cameos alone are not enough when chasing totals above 220.
“Well, tonight was a good example, right, of an exciting young talent in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He batted, got 30 runs at a strike rate of 300. But when you're chasing 220 odd, you need to bat longer and deeper.
So the advantage that we have is that we get players, like the top three that you mentioned, who are striking at 150," Hayden told reporters during the post-match press conference. Hayden then highlighted what separates Gujarat Titans from many other teams this season. According to him, the consistency of the Titans’ top order has been built around balancing aggression with longevity at the crease.