Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Suryavansh in action against Mumbai Indians at the Barsapara ACA Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on Tuesday 07, April 2026.
| Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: The buzz around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi refuses to die down — and now, a fresh talking point has gripped the cricketing world: could the teenage sensation one day don the Mumbai Indians colours?A single social media post from former India cricketer Jatin Paranjape has ignited the chatter, hinting that the 15-year-old prodigy might be destined for the IPL’s most successful talent factory. “Vaibhav Suryavanshi will play against his future team tonight,” Paranjape wrote ahead of Rajasthan Royals’ clash with Mumbai Indians — and the internet hasn’t stopped speculating since.A prodigy rewriting recordsSooryavanshi’s rise has been nothing short of extraordinary. Bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore in 2024, the youngster exploded onto the scene in IPL 2025, becoming the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket with a stunning 101 off 38 balls against Gujarat Titans. His 35-ball hundred was the second-fastest in IPL history.He finished his debut season with 252 runs in just seven games at a staggering strike rate of 206.55.ALSO READ: Sooryavanshi: How RR’s talent spotter unearthed Bihar’s boy wonderIf there were doubts about a dip in form in his second season, Sooryavanshi has silenced them emphatically. In IPL 2026, he has already amassed 122 runs in three matches at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 248.97.A 17-ball 52 against CSK, followed by 31 off 18 against GT and a blistering 39 off 14 against MI, has ensured Rajasthan Royals remain unbeaten and perched atop the table.MI’s legacy of spotting gemsThe speculation linking Sooryavanshi to Mumbai Indians is not without context. The franchise has built a reputation for identifying and nurturing Indian talent early.Jasprit Bumrah (2013), Hardik Pandya (2015), Krunal Pandya (2016), Suryakumar Yadav (2012), Ishan Kishan (2018) and Tilak Varma (2022) all passed through the MI system before becoming mainstays at the highest level.Given that legacy, it’s no surprise that fans and experts alike are imagining Sooryavanshi as the next name on that illustrious list.Fearless against the very bestThe hype only intensified after Sooryavanshi took on Jasprit Bumrah in Guwahati. Facing the premier pacer for the first time, the teenager launched him for a six over long-on off his very first ball, and repeated the feat moments later with a stunning pull shot.His 39 off 14 balls set the tone for RR’s 27-run win, leaving even opposition skipper Hardik Pandya in awe.“Amazing to see the way he bats, the kind of fearlessness he has, the kind of shots he has,” Pandya said.At the other end, Yashasvi Jaiswal could only admire the onslaught.“The way he has been playing is tremendous,” said the opener. “He’s working so hard… it motivates me as well. I just tell him to play freely.”Jaiswal added that the youngster needs no guidance. “He understands the game very well. He’s capable to do it himself.”

Hardik Pandya in post match conference (Screengrab/X)

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya pointed fingers at his bowling unit after their 27-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals in a rain-curtailed 11-overs-a-side IPL 2026 clash at the ACA Stadium.Opting to bowl first, Mumbai failed to make early inroads as Rajasthan’s openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, launched a brutal assault. The duo powered RR to a flying start, smashing 56 runs in just 3.2 overs of the Power-play. Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 77 off 32 balls, while Sooryavanshi contributed a quickfire 39 off 14, helping Rajasthan post a daunting 150/3 in 11 overs.Chasing 151, Mumbai’s batting line-up crumbled under pressure. Reduced to 46/5 early on, they never recovered and finished at 123/9, falling short by 27 runs.Hardik Pandya blames the bowling unitSpeaking after the match, Pandya admitted the bowlers failed to execute their plans. He emphasised that the unit conceded too many boundaries in the initial overs, allowing RR to take control of the game.“We did not execute the deliveries we were supposed to. They played well. Bowlers need to take responsibility. As a bowling group, we were not up to the mark. They also played tremendously,” said Pandya in the post-match presentation.Pandya said he would not blame his batters for not scoring enough runs in the Power-play. “I would not put the blame on batting. Definitely the bowling unit, which had to take responsibility. It is always about bowling those good balls. If we had executed, we would have been in the game. Their openers threw us off our game, and we were playing catch-up,” he added.Asked about RR’s teenage batting sensation, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Pandya said, “Quite fascinating to see a 17- or 16-year-old boy (15-year-old) play that way. Amazing to see the way he bats, the fearlessness he has. Wish him good luck for the future.”Pandya refused to get disheartened by the result and said they would learn from their mistakes. “Just learn from the mistakes. Morning will come tomorrow, the sun will rise, prepare well for the next game,” he said.Mumbai Indians next fixtureMumbai Indians will next face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at their home ground, the Wankhede Stadium. While Mumbai have historically dominated at this venue, registering eight wins over Bengaluru, RCB come into the clash with confidence as defending champions and having won four of their last six encounters against MI.

Hardik Pandya and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PTI/ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya was left in awe of teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the youngster’s explosive knock helped Rajasthan Royals secure a convincing 27-run win in a rain-hit IPL 2026 clash on Tuesday.In a match reduced to 11 overs per side in Guwahati, Sooryavanshi’s breathtaking 39 off just 14 balls, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten 77, powered Rajasthan to 150/3 — a total that proved well beyond Mumbai’s reach as they were restricted to 123/9.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!While the result pushed MI down to seventh in the standings, Pandya chose to spotlight the fearless batting of the 15-year-old opener, who has quickly become one of the most talked-about names in the league.“It’s quite fascinating to see a 17 or a 16-year-old boy playing the way he played,” Pandya said after the game. “At the same time, we discussed so much about him in our preparation. Still, the way he bats — the kind of fearlessness he has, the kind of shots he plays — it’s amazing to see. I wish him absolute good luck for the future.”Sooryavanshi wasted no time making an impact, taking on premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah with audacious strokeplay, including multiple sixes that stunned the opposition and shifted momentum decisively in RR’s favour. Pandya admitted that the opening duo of Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi effectively “threw Mumbai out of the game” in the powerplay itself.Despite the batting brilliance on display, Pandya pointed to his team’s bowling as the primary reason behind the defeat. “We did not execute the deliveries we were supposed to, and they played well,” he said. “In a shortened game like this, bowlers need to take more responsibility. As a bowling group, we were not at all up to the mark.”ALSO READ: Yashasvi Jaiswal hits 100 sixes, joins Royals’ elite power-hittersHe added that the outcome could have been different with better discipline. “T20 cricket is about bowling the right couple of balls. If we had executed those, we would have been in the game. I would not put this on the batting — this was definitely on the bowling unit.”Looking ahead, Pandya remained optimistic despite Mumbai’s inconsistent start to the season. “Just learn from the mistakes. The morning will come tomorrow, the sun will rise,” he said, referring to their upcoming clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. “We need to prepare well and come back stronger.”

Rajasthan Royals continued their dominant run in the Indian Premier League 2026, defeating Mumbai Indians by 27 runs in a rain-curtailed 11-over-a-side clash at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday.Leading the charge was Yashasvi Jaiswal, who smashed a scintillating unbeaten 77 off 32 balls, laced with 10 fours and four sixes. He shared a blistering 80-run opening stand with teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who hammered 39 off just 14 deliveries. The pair laid the foundation for Rajasthan’s imposing total of 150/3, which ultimately proved too much for Mumbai.The match, delayed by over two-and-a-half hours due to rain, turned one-sided soon after the Royals’ innings. Mumbai Indians crumbled early in the chase and were reduced to 46/5 inside five overs, losing key batters Ryan Rickelton, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya for single-digit scores. Despite some late resistance, they finished at 123/9, slipping to their second consecutive defeat.Chasing 151, Mumbai’s troubles began in the very first over when Rickelton, after hitting a six, miscued a rising delivery from Jofra Archer and was caught by Dhruv Jurel. Suryakumar Yadav showed brief intent with a six but fell soon after to Nandre Burger, leaving Mumbai at 20/2.Sandeep Sharma then struck a crucial blow, trapping Rohit Sharma lbw – the sixth time he has dismissed the Mumbai skipper in the IPL – as the five-time champions slid further. Ravi Bishnoi tightened the screws by removing both Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma in quick succession, effectively ending Mumbai’s hopes.Earlier, Rajasthan Royals got off to a flying start with Jaiswal hammering 22 runs in the first over off Deepak Chahar. Sooryavanshi then took on Jasprit Bumrah, smashing him for two sixes in a fearless display. Jaiswal continued the onslaught, hitting Trent Boult for back-to-back sixes as Rajasthan raced to 50 in just 16 balls.Sooryavanshi’s explosive knock ended when Shardul Thakur had him caught near the boundary, while AM Ghazanfar removed Jurel and skipper Riyan Parag. However, Jaiswal remained unbeaten till the end, ensuring Rajasthan Royals posted a match-winning total and climbed to the top of the table with three consecutive wins.