Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has become one of the biggest stories of IPL 2026. At just 15 years old, the Rajasthan Royals youngster has shocked everyone with his fearless batting, attacking mindset, and ability to dominate bowlers from the very first ball. From smashing one of the fastest centuries in IPL history to becoming RR’s leading run-scorer this season, Sooryavanshi has quickly turned into one of the most exciting young cricketers in the country.
But after Rajasthan Royals’ recent defeat against Delhi Capitals, a new discussion has started among fans and experts — have IPL bowlers finally discovered a weakness in the teenager’s batting?
Slower Ball Dismissal Starts Fresh Debate
The discussion started after Sooryavanshi once again played a quick attacking innings but failed to convert it into a big score. During RR’s chase against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the young left-hander looked dangerous right from the beginning and smashed 46 runs off just 21 deliveries.
His innings included powerful boundaries, fearless pull shots, and aggressive strokeplay that immediately put pressure on the Delhi bowlers. Once again, Rajasthan Royals received exactly the kind of explosive start they wanted in the powerplay.
However, just when another half-century looked certain, uncapped Delhi Capitals all-rounder Madhav Tiwari dismissed him with a slower delivery. The wicket quickly became one of the biggest talking points after the match.
Soon after the dismissal, fans on social media and Cricket ID IPL 2026 discussion platforms started questioning whether slower balls and pace variations are becoming a problem for the teenage batter.
Many people pointed out that bowlers have started reducing pace against Sooryavanshi instead of attacking him with raw speed because of the aggressive way he likes to play his shots.
Vikram Rathour Strongly Defends Vaibhav
After the match, Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour was directly asked whether slower deliveries are becoming a weakness for Sooryavanshi. Rathour gave a very clear response and completely dismissed the criticism.
According to the RR batting coach, every batter in cricket has certain areas where bowlers try to challenge them, but that does not automatically mean they have a major weakness.
Rathour explained that the Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch was helping slower deliveries because the surface was gripping slightly. He said change of pace becomes effective against almost every batter in those kinds of conditions, not just Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Rathour said:
“Nobody is perfect in this world. Everybody will have some weakness here and there. I don’t think slow ball is a weakness with Vaibhav.”
Interestingly, the coach even encouraged bowlers to continue trying slower deliveries against the youngster because he believes such experiences will only help him improve further.
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RR Management Still Extremely Happy With Him
Despite missing another half-century, Rajasthan Royals management remains extremely satisfied with the youngster’s performances this season.
Rathour made it clear that the team values the aggressive starts Sooryavanshi consistently provides at the top of the order. Even when he scores 30s or 40s, his strike rate and fearless intent completely change the momentum of the innings.
The coach said the franchise is confident that a truly big innings from Vaibhav is not far away.
According to Rathour, the way the youngster prepares, trains, and approaches his batting shows that he is very close to converting these explosive starts into match-winning centuries regularly. Even though he has not scored a fifty since April 25, his impact on matches has remained huge.
For fans active on Cricket Betting ID platforms and IPL match discussions, Sooryavanshi has become one of the most dangerous batters to watch because he can completely shift the pressure within just a few overs.
Vaibhav’s IPL 2026 Numbers Are Incredible
Considering his age, Sooryavanshi’s IPL 2026 numbers are already unbelievable.
The 15-year-old has scored 486 runs in just 12 innings at an average above 40 while maintaining a strike rate of more than 234. His season already includes one century and multiple explosive innings that changed matches quickly.
Earlier in the tournament, he also smashed one of the fastest centuries in IPL history, instantly becoming a national sensation.
What has impressed cricket fans most is the confidence with which he attacks both pace and spin bowlers. Unlike many young batters who take time to settle, Vaibhav starts attacking almost immediately after arriving at the crease.
That fearless approach has made him one of the biggest discoveries of IPL 2026.
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Comparison With Dhruv Jurel Also Discussed
During the press conference, Rathour was also asked whether Sooryavanshi should learn from teammate Dhruv Jurel, who played a more controlled innings during the chase against Delhi Capitals.
While Vaibhav attacked aggressively, Jurel played with slightly more patience and scored 53 runs off 40 balls. Together, the two players built an important partnership for Rajasthan Royals. However, Rathour completely rejected the idea that both batters should play in the same style.
The RR batting coach explained that every player has different strengths and different methods of scoring runs. According to him, players become successful when they trust their natural game instead of copying someone else’s batting approach.
Rathour clearly said:
“Dhruv need not bat like Vaibhav. Vaibhav shouldn’t look to bat like Dhruv.”
He also used Virat Kohli as an example while explaining his point.
According to Rathour, Kohli has remained successful in T20 cricket without depending completely on power-hitting, which proves that different batting styles can succeed at the highest level.
RR Still Lost Despite Strong Batting Effort
Even though Rajasthan Royals received important contributions from multiple batters, they still failed to cross the finish line against Delhi Capitals. Along with Sooryavanshi’s 46 and Jurel’s half-century, captain Riyan Parag also played a brilliant knock of 51 runs off just 26 balls.
However, Delhi Capitals managed to stay calm during the chase. KL Rahul anchored the innings with a composed 56-run knock, while Abishek Porel added 51 runs from 31 deliveries.
Later, impact substitute Ashutosh Sharma finished the match with a quick unbeaten cameo to guide DC home. The defeat has now made Rajasthan Royals’ playoff situation much more difficult.
RR Under Pressure in IPL 2026 Playoff Race
With the playoff race becoming tighter every day, Rajasthan Royals now need to win both remaining matches to stay strongly alive in the top-four battle. One more defeat could seriously damage their qualification hopes. At the same time, all eyes will continue to remain on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the rest of the season.
Even though questions are being raised about slower balls and consistency, the teenager has already shown enough talent, confidence, and fearless intent to prove that he could become one of the future stars of Indian cricket.