KL Rahul convinced Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s ‘outrageous’ century moment won’t come: ‘I don’t think he is going to do it’

Delhi Capitals batter KL Rahul has ruled out the possibility of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scoring a century and…

Updated on: May 1, 2026, 17:36:54 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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Barring two innings, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has thus far been unstoppable in this season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 15-year-old boy wonder, who has set the tournament ablaze by racing to 400 runs, with one century and two half-centuries, is setting new records almost every innings he plays, and the speed at which he is going, the sky is the limit for Sooryavanshi. Until now, he appears to have no weaknesses, a point Ian Bishop has reiterated. Everything bowled to him is being smacked into the stands. However, tonight’s fixture between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals could change that narrative, as Sooryavanshi, for the first time in his career, will come up against the menacing Mitchell Starc. He has taken apart Bumrah, Hazlewood and Cummins. Will Starc be next, or will Sooryavanshi meet his match?

KL Rahul's prophecy for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PTI Images)

Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi juggernaut meets Mitchell Starc’s swing; Aussie pacer has the blueprint, but his aura under threat

KL Rahul is certain of one thing, though: Sooryavanshi will not copy his ‘hand-in-the-mouth’ celebration on reaching a century in IPL 2026. Last year, Rahul used the gesture after ending an eight-year wait for a Test century at home against the West Indies, possibly in reference to the birth of his daughter earlier in March. Asked to blind-rank outrageous IPL 2026 scenarios, Rahul placed the possibility of Sooryavanshi imitating the celebration at No. 7 out of 8, suggesting it is highly unlikely.

“I don’t think he is going to do that,” he said on ESPNCricinfo.

Stunning Sooryavanshi

Sooryavanshi has ticked a whole lot of boxes in his short professional career. Having made his IPL debut last year, he has already put his name on the map, blasting centuries in Australia, England and South Africa, and winning the Under-19 World Cup in February, where he top-scored with a stunning 175 in the final. If becoming the youngest-ever to score an IPL century wasn’t impressive enough, he has only gone from strength to strength this year.

“People will come better prepared against you,” departing former coach Rahul Dravid had told him, but there have been no signs of a second-season syndrome as Sooryavanshi continues to plunder one attack after another. Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad have all felt his wrath. Tonight, it could be Delhi Capitals’ turn to endure the Sooryavanshi storm.

Starc will test him, but victory is no certainty. Even if Bishop has ruled out the chances of Sooryavanshi launching a first-ball six off the Aussie pacer, there are 119 deliveries left in the innings. If Sooryavanshi faces even half of them, all hell could break loose… again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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