Arshdeep Singh wins war of nerves vs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, but only after brutal punishment forces complete rethink

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 43 runs in 16 balls against Punjab Kings on Tuesday

Updated on: Apr 28, 2026, 22:46:43 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Jasprit Bumrah tried it. Josh Hazlewood tried it. Bhuvneshwar Kumar tried it. The result was the same. Boundaries flowed as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi showed no regard for the stature of the bowler.

Arshdeep Singh dismissed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on Tuesday in the IPL 2026 match between PBKS and RR

On Tuesday, it was Arshdeep Singh who was pitted against the boy wonder. Despite not being in the best of form in IPL 2026, the surface at the New Chandigarh venue had something in it for the bowlers. Yet the result was…

Arshdeep seemed to have a plan for Sooryavanshi. After the 15-year-old was put on strike on the second ball of the opening over, the left-arm seamer bowled two outswinging yorkers, and the batter could do little more than jam them out. Had Arshdeep finally found the answer to keeping Sooryavanshi quiet? A resounding “No” came the response from the Rajasthan Royals opener.

PBKS vs RR IPL 2026 LIVE Score

Arshdeep missed the yorker length on the next ball, an inswinging delivery, and Sooryavanshi whipped it over deep backward square for six. Another similar ball followed, this time on a good length, and the left-hander muscled it towards deep square for a boundary. The punishment did not stop there. Arshdeep went short and wide, and Sooryavanshi went on the back foot to slap it through deep extra cover for another boundary.

After collecting 14 runs in the first over, Sooryavanshi went after Lockie Ferguson in the second. A short delivery on the fourth ball took a thick top edge and flew over first slip for a boundary. He might have been fortunate on that occasion, but not on the next two deliveries. Ferguson went full on middle and leg, and the batter produced a helicopter shot to flick it over deep mid-wicket for six. Ferguson then took the pace off the final ball with a knuckleball, but the genius that is Sooryavanshi anticipated it. He got forward and lofted it cleanly for a flat six down the ground.

An over later, Arshdeep returned, but this time with a Plan B. He went around the wicket to cramp Sooryavanshi for room. The batter responded with a six off the first ball, but sliced the next one—a full toss on middle—as it went straight up, with Shreyas Iyer running back from mid-off to take a comfortable catch.

Sooryavanshi departed for 43 off 16. The damage had been done with his brutal assault in the powerplay, but Arshdeep will still take that as a win.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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