Sooryavanshi hit two sixes from the three balls he faced against Jasprit Bumrah in Guwahati on Tuesday, finishing his innings against the Mumbai Indians (MI) with an impressive 39 off just 14 balls.
“The IPL has kicked off just as I anticipated, with flatter pitches and high-scoring encounters. It’s always intriguing to observe how established stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli fare, but I believe this young talent from the Rajasthan Royals, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, is the one to keep an eye on in the opening weeks,” Smith shared on his blog.
“He has already demonstrated his capacity to hit right from the first ball. As a young player, he has the potential to become a true superstar throughout the tournament, and I’m genuinely excited to see his progress,” remarked the former South Africa skipper.
Smith, who was part of the inaugural Rajasthan Royals team that won the first IPL title back in 2008, feels that the premier T20 tournament has transformed the landscape of global cricket.
Former India captain Anil Kumble voiced his astonishment at how Sooryavanshi boldly confronted a bowler of Bumrah’s caliber, hitting a six off his very first delivery.
Sooryavanshi was acquired for ₹1.1 crore by RR in the mega auction prior to IPL 2025. He caught everyone’s attention in his debut season with a spectacular century against the Gujarat Titans. Sooryavanshi continued to impress in the domestic circuit, ascending to vice-captain of the Bihar state team. He played a crucial role in helping India secure the ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup by scoring 175 runs off 80 balls in the final against England in February.(With PTI inputs)
First Published: Apr 9, 2026 9:56 PM IST
