Vaibhav Sooryavanshi adds MS Dhoni touch: audacious helicopter shot highlights his evolving batting arsenal

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi showcased a MS Dhoni-style helicopter shot twice in a blazing 43, underlining his fearless range in IPL 2026

Updated on: Apr 28, 2026, 22:01:41 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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The ever-evolving Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on Tuesday unleashed a fresh new shot from his batting arsenal as he took a leaf out of MS Dhoni’s book to execute the helicopter shot, not once, but twice, during his knock against the Punjab Kings at the New Chandigarh Stadium.

Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hits a six during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings (AP)

The first came on the fourth ball of the second over, when Lockie Ferguson bowled a fuller delivery onto his pads. Sooryavanshi disdainfully flicked it with absolute power, using his wrists to emulate the helicopter shot straight out of Dhoni’s playbook. There was no follow-through, but it carried a touch of swagger as the ball sailed over mid-wicket for six.

The second came on the first ball of the fourth over, when Arshdeep Singh angled a fuller delivery onto leg stump. Sooryavanshi got forward and whipped it with a bat twirl—another helicopter shot—to smash it over mid-wicket for six.

PBKS vs RR IPL 2026 LIVE Score

Sooryavanshi was eventually dismissed on the very next ball, with Arshdeep removing him for 43 off 16 as Punjab Kings heaved a sigh of relief. It was a much-needed breakthrough for the home side, especially with the 15-year-old creating mayhem with his three boundaries and five sixes in the powerplay, where Rajasthan Royals surged to 51 runs inside the first 19 balls.

Sooryavanshi has been a nightmare for opposition bowlers in the powerplay, smashing 319 runs in that phase off just 130 balls, at a strike rate of 245.4.

Overall, the Rajasthan Royals opener has 400 runs this season in nine innings at a strike rate of 238.09, with one century and two fifties. He is currently the highest run-scorer this season, holding the Orange Cap for the second time.

Earlier in the match, Prabhsimran Singh (59 off 44) set the tone for Punjab Kings, ably assisted by Priyansh Arya (29 off 11) and Cooper Connolly (30 off 14), before the Rajasthan Royals bowlers pulled things back in the middle overs to choke the run-scoring. However, Marcus Stoinis bludgeoned his way to an unbeaten 62 off 22 balls, smashing six sixes and four boundaries to give Punjab much-needed momentum. His knock helped Punjab score 55 runs in the final three overs as they set a target of 223.

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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