Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s sensational rise in IPL 2026 continued on Wednesday night as the Rajasthan Royals (RR) youngster delivered another jaw-dropping performance in the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The 15-year-old batting prodigy once again became the biggest talking point of the evening, with several current and former cricketers reacting to his fearless display.
Among those impressed was former Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell, whose Instagram story for the young RR batter quickly went viral on social media after the match.
Andre Russell shares hearwarming reaction to Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s breathtaking knock
Suryavanshi played one of the most destructive knocks of IPL 2026 during the high-pressure Eliminator clash in New Chandigarh. Opening the innings for Rajasthan Royals, the teenager dismantled the SRH bowling attack with remarkable ease and nearly raced away to a historic century.
The youngster smashed a stunning 97 runs off just 29 deliveries, including a staggering 12 sixes, narrowly missing out on what could have been the fastest hundred in IPL history. His breathtaking innings also helped him cross 680 runs and 65 sixes for the season, breaking multiple tournament records along the way.
Following the innings, Russell shared a picture of Suryavanshi on his Instagram story and humorously wrote: “Haters will say you’re not 15.” The former West Indies all-rounder also described himself as a “big fan” of the RR batter and urged him to continue ignoring critics questioning his age and performances. Russell’s reaction instantly gained traction online, with fans enjoying the veteran power-hitter’s lighthearted support for one of IPL 2026’s biggest breakout stars.
Rajasthan Royals eliminate SRH to enter Qualifier 2
Suryavanshi’s fearless assault laid the platform for Rajasthan Royals massive first-innings total of 243/8. Although RR slowed down slightly towards the end, the damage had already been done by the teenage sensation’s extraordinary power-hitting display. In reply, Sunrisers Hyderabad struggled to recover after Jofra Archer ripped through their top order during the powerplay. The England pacer dismissed key batters, including Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Ishan Kishan to put SRH under immediate pressure.
Nitish Kumar Reddy attempted to revive the chase with an aggressive partnership in the middle overs, but Rajasthan’s bowlers including Nandre Burger and Ravindra Jadeja took wickets and continued to stay ahead in the contest. SRH were eventually bowled out for 196 in 19.2 overs, handing RR a commanding 47-run victory. With the win, Rajasthan Royals advanced to Qualifier 2, where they will now face Gujarat Titans (GT) for a place in the IPL 2026 final.
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