Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach Justin Langer was impressed by the outstanding batting of Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) young star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old led his team to a five-wicket victory at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on May 19 during IPL 2026.
Facing a huge target of 221 runs, Rajasthan Royals relied on Sooryavanshi’s remarkable innings of 93 runs off just 38 balls to stay in the playoff race. His fearless hitting against top bowlers left the opposition stunned.
In the post-match conference, Langer acknowledged that Sooryavanshi significantly changed the game’s outcome and noted that the experience would be beneficial for LSG’s younger bowlers.
“Yeah, well, yeah, ultimately if you scored 90… what’d he get, 94 off 36 balls? He kept taking runs and that made a big difference. Our young bowlers played today and they’ll learn from this experience,” Langer mentioned.
He further explained how even some of the best fast bowlers in the world have struggled against Sooryavanshi this season. He pointed out the reactions of bowlers like Mitchell Starc and Anrich Nortje, emphasizing the youngster’s impressive performance.
“The way he plays is quite breathtaking. You can see it in the expressions of bowlers like Mitchell Starc and Nortje when they bowl to him. They’re almost confused, thinking, ‘What is happening here?’ That speaks volumes,” he added.
Langer expressed confidence that Sooryavanshi will excel in International conditions, including in England and Australia. He recalled Sooryavanshi’s performances with India U19 and India A, describing his ability to adapt as exceptional, comparing it to the legendary Australian batsman Don Bradman.
“People ask me if Bradman would have scored runs with today’s equipment. I believe he would have adapted. Sooryavanshi has that skill; wherever he plays, he’ll adjust his game. It’s exciting—and somewhat scary—for world Cricket,” Langer concluded.
Currently, Vaibhav leads the orange cap race with 579 runs at an impressive strike rate of 236.32. This win keeps RR’s playoff hopes alive, and they will aim to secure qualification in their last league game against Mumbai Indians on May 24.