“Pressure Doesn’t Affect Him”: Kumble, AB De Villiers Laud Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Match-Winning Brilliance Against SRH

Rajasthan Royals reached Qualifier 2 of TATA IPL 2026 after a 47-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh. On JioHotstar's 'Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live', JioStar experts AB de Villiers and Anil Kumble praised 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi's fearless batting and discussed the upcoming clash against the Gujarat Titans.

Speaking on JioHotstar's show, AB de Villiers highlighted Suryavanshi's control against Pat Cummins and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He focused on the teenager's calm approach under pressure and his ability to counter frequent bowling changes and field tweaks during the high-stakes Eliminator.

"What stood out most about Vaibhav Suryavanshi's innings was his composure and clarity under pressure at just 15 years of age. Pat Cummins and Sunrisers Hyderabad kept trying different plans, constantly changing the field and mixing their lengths to disrupt his rhythm, but he stayed completely locked into his own bubble throughout the innings. That level of game awareness in a knockout match is remarkable for someone so young. Whether they bowled short or tried to surprise him with fuller deliveries, he seemed prepared for every plan and was in control against all of them. Scoring 97 off just 29 balls in an Eliminator, while dominating all parts of the ground, was an extraordinary display of fearless batting and showed why he is already being spoken about alongside some of the most explosive players the IPL has seen."

De Villiers on Suryavanshi's pre-match preparation

De Villiers also spoke about Suryavanshi's routines before games, noting his focus on visualising match-ups and studying bowlers. He compared parts of the teenager's mental preparation to that of former opener Matthew Hayden, who also spent time visualising on the pitch before batting.

"What's most impressive about Vaibhav Suryavanshi is the clarity he already has around his preparation and routines at just 15 years of age. Hearing him talk about visualising match-ups, studying bowlers, and mentally preparing before games shows a level of maturity that is very rare at that age. It actually reminded me a little of Matthew Hayden, who used to spend time visualising on the pitch before batting. Over the course of his career, many of those routines will evolve, but the important thing is that Vaibhav is already building his own habits and processes instead of trying to copy others. The best players in the world eventually discover what works authentically for them, and Vaibhav already seems to have that understanding very early in his journey."

Kumble On Sooryavanshi's Impact

Anil Kumble, speaking on the same show, said Suryavanshi's fearless approach under pressure has been central to the Rajasthan Royals' campaign. He pointed to the teenager's ability to unsettle plans from Pat Cummins and the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers in a must-win playoff match.

"Vaibhav Suryavanshi has shown throughout the season that pressure simply doesn't seem to affect him, and this innings was another example of that. In just 29 balls, he completely changed the direction of the game and put Sunrisers Hyderabad under immense pressure right from the start. Pat Cummins and the bowlers came in with plans, but within the first couple of overs, those plans were already disrupted because they simply didn't know where to bowl to him. To play an innings of this magnitude in a knockout game at the age of 15 is extraordinary. One of the biggest reasons Rajasthan Royals are now in Qualifier 2 is because of the impact he has had throughout the tournament, and holding the Orange Cap at this stage only highlights how remarkable his season has been."

Kumble also assessed Gujarat Titans' form, recalling that they had controlled large parts of Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He mentioned dropped catches, extras, and a collapse after Sai Sudharsan's dismissal as turning points that shifted pressure onto GT late in that match.

Focus Shifts To GT vs RR Qualifier 2

Looking ahead to Qualifier 2, Kumble said much could depend on how GT handles Suryavanshi, with Rajasthan Royals entering the game on a run of three straight wins over Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians at Wankhede, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He added that GT would need their best display to halt RR's momentum.