Rajat Patidar forced to self-introspect after Vaibhav Sooryavanshi treats Hazlewood like Bumrah, ends RCB winning streak

Rajat Patidar’s 201/8 rescue went in vain as 17-year-old Sooryavanshi stole the show with a blazing 78 off 26 balls.

Updated on: Apr 11, 2026, 01:20:19 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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Honestly, it’s getting out of hand now. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is unstoppable. Yes. We have said it before. We know. But thanks to this kid, words and expressions are falling short to describe his freakiness. Unbelievable is the word, perhaps. At just 15, the world is at his feet. Those who felt Sooryavanshi would be figured out this year, stop passing verdicts on cricket. It’s not your thing. Three sleeps ago, it was Jasprit Bumrah. And tonight, it was Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. These are world-class, champion pacers. Giants of the game. And Sooryavanshi bludgeons them like they’re net bowlers, his assault helping the Rajasthan Roya ls make a mockery of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s total of 201 after 20 overs.

Rajat Patidar's rescue act went in vain as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ripped apart RCB in the chase. (AP and AFP Image)

Poor Rajat Patidar was left shellshocked. He batted out of his skin to lift his team from the depths of 125/7 to 201/8. Less than two hours later, his effort was overshadowed by a player 17 years younger to him as Sooryavanshi blasted 78 off just 26 deliveries. 26. For a moment, Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest-ever IPL century looked in danger. Such ruthless was Sooryavanshi’s assault. In fact, the impact was such as Patidar almost went into trance, appearing lost as he gave the teenager his flowers.

“The way we started in the powerplay, to get to 200, is a positive sign for us. The way their batters, especially Vaibhav, batted in the powerplay, it made the difference. The way we are batting in last few matches was brilliant but lots of learnings from this game,” a shaken Patidar, almost self introspecting, said after the match.

Also Read - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi threatens Chris Gayle’s legacy, misses fastest IPL century record by a whisker after belting RCB

Jurel can't believe how Sooryavanshi can hit like that

Sooryavanshi’s wicket 22 short of what would have been his second IPL ton was a turning point as RR endured a collapse to lose three wickets for nine runs. But holding up one end was Dhruv Jurel, who showed nerves to steel and took RR home by staying unbeaten on 81 off 43 balls. Still, he didn’t win the Player of the Match award, with Sooryavanshi’s fireworks making it impossible for the commentators to select anyone but him for the honour.

“We just cannot believe how someone can hit it like that. We think we can not hit like that. He is a great talent. Best is to not say anything to him and we feel good that he is in our team,” he said about his teammate.

As did the winning captain Riyan Parag, who summed up just how loved Sooryavanshi is within the team. “Everyone loves him and having him around. He likes eating stuff and going out. We try to make that available for him. He is still a kid. And he loves batting.”

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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