Dhruv Jurel praises Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fearless approach after explosive 97 Off 29 in IPL 2026 Eliminator

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For Dhruv Jurel, the praise came straight from the heart. Watching Vaibhav Sooryavanshi back himself so completely has clearly left a deep impression on the senior Rajasthan Royals player.

Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi shares a light moment during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh, India.

Rajasthan Royals’ young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again stole the show with a brilliant 97 off just 29 balls as RR crushed Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator at New Chandigarh on Wednesday (May 27). The 15-year-old opener’s Powerplay knock set up a massive total of 243/8 that left SRH reeling and ended their campaign in the playoffs.

Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel's heartfelt praise highlighted what makes Sooryavanshi special. Jurel, who has seen the youngster up close, opened up in the post-match press conference about his teammate’s simple yet powerful mindset.

Dhruv Jurel lavishes praise

“The best thing about Vaibhav that I have noticed is that he doesn’t plan anything,” Jurel said. “Because he practices a lot and he always backs himself. That’s what he does every time he goes out and plays. The best thing about him is that he backs himself. He doesn’t even have a shadow of doubt that ‘I am not able to do it’.”

Dhruv Jurel reveals Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s mantra

Dhruv Jurel went on to explain the core philosophy behind Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s success. Growing up in the academy system, most young players get nervous facing big-name bowlers. But not Vaibhav.

“When we go to an academy, (we’re told) ‘Don’t watch the bowler, watch the ball,” Jurel said. “As 17-year-olds, we always watch the bowler, (and think) he’s a big name. But really, he just watches the ball. That’s all.

“His mantra is ‘I don’t want (to) give a damn about any bowler’.”

This no-fear attitude was on full display against SRH. Sooryavanshi walked out and attacked from ball one, treating world-class pacers like ordinary net bowlers. His 29-ball knock powered RR towards a score that looked like 270-280 at one stage. Even though the death overs were reined in, the early damage proved match-winning.

SRH coach James Franklin calls Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a ‘freakish talent’

SRH assistant coach James Franklin admitted his team tried every trick in the book but found no answers. “There was a very, very small margin where you could bowl to him,” Franklin said. He noted the good pitch made it even tougher for bowlers to execute their plans.

Franklin also spoke about the bigger picture in modern T20 cricket. Young players like Sooryavanshi, who grew up watching the format on TV, show zero fear and hunt boundaries from the start. “And it’s evolved so much in the last five years, the pace of it,” he added, calling the IPL the fastest version of T20 cricket in the world.

With this win, Rajasthan Royals march on in the playoffs while Sunrisers Hyderabad’s season ends. And thanks to Jurel’s honest words, fans now have a clearer picture of why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is such a rare talent in Indian cricket.

About the Author

Aachal Maniyar

Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.

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