"Breathtaking": LSG coach Justin Langer hails RR's Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after his match-winning 93

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach Justin Langer heaped praise on the 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling him "breathtaking", after the left-hander guided his team to a seven-wicket win over LSG by scoring a 38-ball 93-run knock.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach Justin Langer heaped praise on the 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling him "breathtaking", after the left-hander guided his team to a seven-wicket win over LSG by scoring a 38-ball 93-run knock. Chasing a big 221-run target, Sooryavanshi scored a blistering 93 off just 38 balls, hitting 10 sixes and seven fours, while Dhruv Jurel contributed a quick 53 off 38 deliveries, including three sixes and three fours, to help RR win by seven wickets with five balls remaining. With this win, RR climbed to the fourth spot in the IPL points table with 14 points under their belt and a match to go.

With the match-winning 93, Sooryavanshi also became the leading run-scorer in the ongoing IPL season, with 579 runs to his name at an excellent strike rate of 236.33. He has hit 53 sixes and 50 boundaries in the tournament. Amidst his IPL brilliance, Sooryavanshi has also been named in the India A squad for the upcoming one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka, scheduled to be held in June.

After the match, LSG head coach Justin Langer praised Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling him "brilliant" and "breathtaking" for his consistent performances throughout the season. He highlighted that the young batter has been the leading run-scorer and said his selection for the India A squad reflects his huge potential and bright future in the game. "He was brilliant. I mean, we've seen it all season. He's the leading run scorer. And in all my time, I've seen some amazing players in 35 years of cricket. To see a young man bat like that not just tonight but throughout the series is breathtaking and he has, like everyone's saying, been picked in the India A squad. He has a massive future to say the least," Langer said in the post-match press conference.

Notably, Sooryavanshi also made his mark at the U19 WC this year, where he ended up as the second-highest run-getter with 439 runs in seven matches at an average of 62.71 and a strike rate of 169.49, with a century and three fifties and a best score of 175. He smacked a record-breaking 30 sixes in the competition, surpassing South Africa's Dewald Brevis' 18 sixes in the 2022 edition by miles. Coming to the clash, LSG posted a strong total of 220/5 after being asked to bat first by the Royals RR in their IPL 2026 clash at Jaipur, built on an explosive opening stand between Josh Inglis and Mitchell Marsh.LSG raced to 83/0 in the powerplay, their fourth-highest of the season, before Inglis smashed a 30-ball fifty and added a 109-run opening partnership with Marsh. Inglis fell for 60, but Marsh continued the charge with a 25-ball half-century and went on to score 96 off 57 deliveries.

Late contributions from skipper Rishabh Pant helped LSG cross the 200-run mark, although he and Marsh were both run out in the final over as LSG finished at 220/5. For RR, Yash Raj Punja claimed 2/35 while Jofra Archer picked up one wicket. In response, Sooryavanshi's 93 and Jurel's 53 helped the Royals secure a convincing seven-wicket win. (ANI)