MULLANPUR: Legendary Sachin Tendulkar led the cricketing world's outpouring of awe and adulation after teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a 29-ball 97 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL Eliminator, lauding the left-hander's "outstanding bat swing."
Sooryavanshi's blitz, during which he broke Chris Gayle's record of most sixes ((59) in an IPL edition, helped Rajasthan Royals march into the IPL Qualifier 2 with a 47-run win over SRH.
The 15-year-old now has 65 sixes in this iteration of the league.
"Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's bat swing has been outstanding. What's even more remarkable is how beautifully he clears his front foot to create room for balls aimed at his legs. This freedom allows him to play the way he does," Tendulkar wrote on his 'X' account.
"That innings was nothing short of spectacular!," he added.
Multiple World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh termed Sooryavanshi as "unbelieveable".
"Boss baby breaks world bosses record! Unbelievable this kid great to watch. #unreal," he wrote.
Former all-rounder Suresh Raina said cricketers like Sooryavanshi assures that Indian cricket is in safe hands.
"Dictionary doesn't have enough words to describe what Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has done in this tournament. What a player, what a prodigy. The fact that people are actually waiting to watch him bat proves that Indian future is in safe hands," Raina wrote on social media.
Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop termed Sooryavanshi's quality of strokes as rare.
"Very special again from Vaibav Sooryavanshi. 97(29) in his first-ever IPL playoff match. It's also the rare quality of his strokes," Bishop said.
Former India player Mohammad Kaif said, "We are seeing a miracle, we are seeing a future star, we are seeing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi the wonder boy.
"Jaw dropping sixes, breaks universal boss Chris Gayle's record of most sixes in his first full IPL season. And he's just 15. The opposition players, owners and the entire cricket world applauds. Cricket has so much to look forward to."
England batting great Kevin Pietersen was also in awe of Sooryavanshi's exploits.
"Sooryavanshi is an absolute joke! My goodness. That six over cover..." he wrote.
Gujarat Titans' Kagiso Rabada, who will counter Sooryavanshi in the Qualifier 2 here on Friday, hoped to get the better of the youngster in the crunch game.
"He has got really fast hands, and he is fearless at the moment. There is not an ounce of fear in his body, and that's how you really are when you are young. It really fascinates me. It is great to see that the game is well and truly alive. What I think is that he is just another batter, and I try to get the better of him," the South African said.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan added: "He is the best T20 opener in the World ..India have to pick him..."
AB de Villiers, one of the pioneers of T20 batsmanship, termed Sooryavanshi's clarity of thoughts incredible.
"What stood out most about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's innings was his composure and clarity under pressure at just 15 years of age. Pat Cummins kept trying different plans, constantly changing the field and mixing their lengths to disrupt his rhythm.
"But he stayed completely locked into his own bubble throughout the innings. That level of game awareness in a knockout match is remarkable for someone so young," the South African said on JioHotstar's 'Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live.'
Former India skipper Anil Kumble was astonished by Sooryavanshi's ability to stay away from pressure.
"Vaibhav Suryavanshi has shown throughout the season that pressure simply doesn't seem to affect him, and this innings was another example of that. In just 29 balls, he completely changed the direction of the game and put Sunrisers Hyderabad under immense pressure right from the start," Kumble said on the show.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla termed Sooryavanshi's knock as "extraordinary".
"Congratulations to Rajasthan Royals on a brilliant victory against SRH in the IPL 2026 Eliminator. What an extraordinary innings by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 97 off just 29 balls. Truly short of words to describe such a remarkable knock. Wishing RR the very best for the next game," he wrote on 'X'.
Veteran Congress politician P Chidambaram also lauded the youngster for his brilliant innings.
"Incredible 97 runs in 29 balls by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He missed his century again. Sad miss, but the spectacular show will remain etched in memory," he wrote.
