Pat Cummins found himself on the receiving end of a stunning assault from teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and came away thoroughly impressed, calling him his “new favourite player” after witnessing the carnage first-hand.
The 15-year-old continued his meteoric rise in the Indian Premier League 2026, smashing a blistering 103 off just 37 balls for Rajasthan Royals against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. His innings, studded with five fours and 12 sixes, lit up Jaipur, even though SRH chased down 228 to seal a five-wicket win.
Sooryavanshi showed no hesitation against Cummins, launching him for six off the very first ball he faced. Although he faced only four deliveries from the SRH skipper, his intent was clear — fearless and attacking. Having already taken on elite pacers (Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood) earlier in the season, the youngster once again demonstrated his ability to dominate top-quality bowling.
Cummins, returning to action after a long break, was full of praise. “I think he’s my new favourite player. He hits the ball so hard, it’s great to watch. It’s good fun,” he said at the post-match press conference. He further added, “You have to be right on the money as a bowler. If you are not, it’s going a long way. It’s impressive. He has had a great start to his career, and yeah, I like the way he plays. Takes the game on.”
