“We will try to take Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out early”: Gujarat Titans coach ahead of clash with RR

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals (ANI Photo) Gujarat Titans assistant coach Parthiv Patel has admitted that stopping Vaibhav Sooryavanshi early will be one of GT’s biggest priorities when they take on Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 on Friday.The 15-year-old batting sensation heads into the knockout clash in red-hot form after producing one of the most devastating innings ever seen in an IPL playoff match. Sooryavanshi smashed 97 off just 29 deliveries against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator, smashing 12 sixes and completely dismantling the SRH bowling attack.The RR opener also equaled Suresh Raina’s record for the fastest IPL playoff half-century by reaching the milestone in just 16 balls. He came agonizingly close to surpassing Chris Gayle’s all-time record for the fastest IPL century before losing by three runs. However, Sooryavanshi surpassed Gayle’s long-standing record for sixes in a single IPL season to reach 65 maximums.With Rajasthan Royals now gearing up to take on Gujarat Titans for a place in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, much of the focus has shifted towards how GT plans to retain the teenage superstar.Speaking ahead of the clash in New Chandigarh, Parthiv Patel acknowledged Sooryavanshi’s outstanding form and revealed that Gujarat Titans have already spent time analyzing his batting in detail.“I feel good about the way he is batting. Hopefully we will try to get him out early in the match. How all the teams plan, we have seen the videos. Hopefully we will be able to execute our plan. But what it is, we will be able to tell you when we are there,” Patel told reporters.Patel also praised the youngster’s fearless batting while making it clear that GT would prefer not to see him settle at the crease.“He was a phenomenal talent, just the way he played. It’s great to see. From the opponent’s point of view, we hope he doesn’t start tomorrow,” he added.One of the key matches in Qualifier 2 is expected to be Sooryavanshi’s battle against Gujarat Titans’ pace attack, especially new bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada.Sooryavanshi enjoyed a stunning season with the bat, scoring 680 runs in 15 innings at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate of 242.85. His campaign includes one century, four fifties, 55 fours and 65 sixes, underscoring the sheer dominance he has displayed throughout IPL 2026.