Sooryavanshi has shown throughout IPL 2026 that pressure simply doesn’t affect him: Kumble

New Delhi: Former India captain Anil Kumble praised teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, opining that the most striking aspect of his season has been his complete freedom from pressure, even in the biggest moments, after the Rajasthan Royals opener delivered a stunning match-winning performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator.

“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has shown throughout the season that pressure simply doesn’t seem to affect him, and this innings was another example of that. In just 29 balls, he completely changed the direction of the game and put Sunrisers Hyderabad under immense pressure right from the start,” Kumble told JioStar.

Sooryavanshi’s innings dismantled Hyderabad’s bowling plans almost immediately. Despite captain Pat Cummins and his attack attempting different lengths and field adjustments, Rajasthan stormed through the Power-play and never allowed SRH to regain control. Kumble pointed out how quickly the young batter forced Hyderabad to abandon their original plans.

“Pat Cummins and the bowlers came in with plans, but within the first couple of overs those plans were already disrupted because they simply didn’t know where to bowl to him. To play an innings of this magnitude in a knockout game at the age of 15 is extraordinary,” he said.

The former India spinner also credited Sooryavanshi’s consistency across the season as a major reason behind RR’s run to Qualifier 2.

“One of the biggest reasons Rajasthan Royals are now in Qualifier 2 is because of the impact he has had throughout the tournament, and holding the Orange Cap at this stage only highlights how remarkable his season has been,” the former spinner stated. IANS

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