IPL 2026: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is 'My New Favourite Player', says SRH skipper Pat Cummins

Rajasthan Royals' teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi lit up the evening with a blistering 103 off just 37 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday (April 25).

His explosive knock, featuring a 36-ball century, the third-fastest in IPL history, powered RR to 228/6. Though Sunrisers Hyderabad chased down the target successfully, winning by 5 wickets, the spotlight belonged to the 15-year-old prodigy.

SRH captain Pat Cummins, who witnessed the carnage from the field, was left awestruck. In the post-match press conference, the Australian all-rounder didn't hold back his admiration for the young batter from Bihar.

"Yeah, I think he's my new favourite player. He hits the ball so hard, it's great to watch. It's good fun," Cummins said at the post-match press conference.

The SRH skipper elaborated on the challenge of bowling to Sooryavanshi: "You've got to be right on the money as a bowler. Because if you're not, it's going a long way. He's impressive. He's had a great start to his career. I love the way he plays. It takes the game on."

Sooryavanshi's innings not only added to his growing list of records - including youngest T20 centurion and now fastest to 1,000 T20 runs - but also earned praise that transcended team rivalries.

Cummins' heartfelt endorsement underscores the youngster's raw power and fearless approach, signalling a bright future for Indian cricket's latest phenomenon. Even in defeat for RR, Vaibhav's performance won fans across borders, with one of the world's best captains leading the applause.

Sooryavanshi briefly also held the Orange Cap with 357 runs before Abhishek Sharma took over the top spot again.