Ever since 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi took IPL 2025 by storm and scored a century in 35 balls, bowlers around the world have been trying to find a way to get him out.
Now a full year older and wiser, he has not given up his aggressive ways and has, in fact, improved his performance from last year. The left-hander from Bihar has had the Orange Cap in IPL 2026 for a while and is still in contention for the cap as he is currently the fourth-highest run-scorer this season.
So far, the 15-year-old has scored 246 runs in six matches at an impressive strike rate of 237. He also has two fifties to his name, both of which he scored in just 15 balls.
“Probably pull a shin or hamstring before your captain asks you to bowl” – Steven Finn
Speaking on the “For the Love of Cricket” podcast, which is hosted by former England fast bowler Stuart Broad, Broad’s compatriot and former fast bowler Steven Finn initially joked that the bowler might have to pretend to be injured if he did not want to bowl to Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
“Maybe pull a calf or hamstring or something before your captain asks you to bowl,” Finn joked.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi has taken prestigious names like Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood to the sweepstakes this year and everyone has had to rack their brains for the answer.
“It looks incredibly tough, doesn’t it? Even watching videos of him training in the nets against jofra archer, Who is making every effort. Full and wide, short, full and straight… and they were all going to the limit,” Finn observed.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi may be surprised with a tough line
Finn said that the best way to get Vaibhav Suryavanshi out could be to alert him. He further said that the best way to achieve this is to bowl a tight line behind the length and with the fielders protecting the leg side.
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“When someone likes to play free-flowing like him, you’ll think about in and around the tight line and something behind the length or over the stump, trying to save the leg-side initially,” Finn said.
He added, “And then if you can bowl a full, slow, wide ball and force him to reach it on three or four hard balls, you can stop him.”
“There’s still hope for luck” – Steven Finn
The Finn ultimately concluded by saying that the way Vaibhav Suryavanshi is batting currently, the bowlers may need luck in addition to their skill if they want to dismiss the teenager.
Finn added, “Right now it’s just a matter of luck whether you’ll get it or not.”
Rajasthan Royals (RR) made a strong start to the season with four consecutive wins, but have now lost their last two matches. RR is currently third in the points table with eight points from six matches.
RR will face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their next match on April 22 in Lucknow. LSG themselves are on a three-match losing streak and are placed ninth in the points table. Depending on what happens on Tuesday, the clash against LSG could provide Suryavanshi another chance to push himself for the Orange Cap.