In a season where Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has looked almost unstoppable, only two bowlers have truly managed to keep him quiet — Lucknow Super Giants’ Mohsin Khan and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Praful Hinge. The latter dismissed him for a duck in Hyderabad earlier this season. But 12 days later, when the two sides met again in Jaipur, a vengeful Sooryavanshi tore him apart, smashing four sixes in the opening over before racing to a stunning 36-ball century.
Having witnessed both extremes of the contest, the biggest question for SRH heading into the Eliminator in New Chandigarh was obvious: how do you stop Sooryavanshi?
Pat Cummins knew SRH needed more than one strategy to contain him. Which is why, in his pre-match interaction with the broadcasters, the Australian captain admitted they had multiple backup plans in place.
The idea was clear: attack him with SRH’s strongest suit this season: death-style bowling. Even on Wednesday night, SRH picked up five wickets for just 36 runs in the final four overs. Cummins decided to take charge himself with the new ball, bowling fuller and straighter to deny Sooryavanshi room for elevation, while placing two fielders on the leg-side ropes in front of square.
For a player appearing in his first IPL playoff game, with immense pressure riding on the occasion, the 15-year-old showed astonishing calmness.
He dug out the first ball, took a single off the next, and then punished the slightest error. Cummins missed his yorker on the final ball of the over and Sooryavanshi instantly lofted it over long-on for six.
At the other end, Eshan Malinga tried going full as well, but when he missed his length, Sooryavanshi nearly punished him again. Malinga quickly changed tactics and surprised him with a sharp bouncer into the body, only for the teenager to disdainfully pull it over square leg for another six.
Cummins then mixed slower balls, field changes and constant tactical tweaks in an attempt to get inside Sooryavanshi’s head. But the RR opener was in no mood for tactical warfare.
The second Cummins over disappeared for 25 runs. A half-volley was drilled down the ground for four, which also brought up 600 runs for Sooryavanshi this season — making him the youngest batter ever to the landmark in a single IPL edition.
Cummins then went fuller again, missed his line and paid dearly as Sooryavanshi launched him straight back over his head for six. The next ball, short and outside off, disappeared over third man.
But the true genius arrived on the following delivery. Cummins rolled his fingers over a slower ball aimed at the stumps, but Sooryavanshi simply hung back, waited for it, and slapped it straight back over the bowler’s head. It looked less like instinct and more like anticipation.
After Cummins and Malinga, it was Sakib Hussain’s turn.
He experimented with slower balls across the line. Sooryavanshi initially missed one, but quickly adjusted. The next two deliveries disappeared for back-to-back sixes — one over extra cover, the other over deep square leg.
By the end of the powerplay, Sooryavanshi had raced to 60 off just 20 balls, with 56 of those runs coming purely through boundaries.
SRH kept changing angles, pace and fields, but nothing disrupted his rhythm.
Anything short disappeared towards square leg. Anything slower was lifted over extra cover. Anything missing yorker length was punished with brutal precision.
And through all the external noise — the India call-up chatter, the comparisons with legends, the growing hysteria around his name, Sooryavanshi’s greatest strength continues to remain clarity.
Before the start of the match, the broadcast camera caught him near the pitch in a half-kneeling position, eyes closed — perhaps visualising his plans, perhaps simply shutting out the noise.
“I just think about who the bowlers are in the opposition team, how I can face them on this wicket, how big the boundaries are — just these kinds of things,” he said later after collecting the Player of the Match award.
“I try to stay positive with my intent. When I do that, the bowlers stay under pressure. So I try to continue that and dominate the game.”
Sooryavanshi added another 37 runs in the next nine deliveries he faced, and that innings ultimately stood as the difference between the two sides.
And Rajasthan Royals’ contribution to all this?
“Leaving him alone,” captain Riyan Parag said.
No over-analysis. No excessive technical interference. Just trust.
Cummins’ plans failed. Now it is over to Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, two of the best new-ball bowlers this season.
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