IPL 2026: ‘No one is perfect’ – RR coach ends Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s weakness interview

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals (AP Photo)

Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour conceded that Mitchell Starc’s decisive power-play completely shifted the momentum in favor of Delhi Capitals as RR suffered yet another setback in the tightening IPL 2026 playoff race. Royals were in a commanding position at 162/2 and looked like the total would be in the 220-230 range before collapsing to 193/8, eventually falling short as Delhi Capitals comfortably chased down the target to keep their play-off hopes alive. The biggest breakthrough came when Starc blasted through the middle and death overs to remove Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira and Ravi Singh in a single devastating phase that completely halted RR’s momentum. However, much of RR’s innings again revolved around their teenage sensation Vaibhav sooryavanshi who continued to impress with yet another fearless top knock. The youngster hit 46 off 21 balls, hitting five fours and three sixes to once again give Rajasthan a great start alongside Dhruv Jurel. After the match, Vikram Rathour admitted that the team fell short of expectations. “We had 20 runs. We were 160/2 and should have got to 220-230. Losing three wickets in one over doesn’t help. We could have been smarter in that over. We can make mistakes in every game and the idea is to learn from them and hopefully they will have different options in the next game. That (for us Starc) changed the game.” He also confirmed fitness concerns in the team, adding: “It would be good if he gets one more game off,” referring to Ravindra Jadeja’s knee nipple. In terms of tactical decisions during the chase, Rathour backed captain Riyan Parag’s call to hand over the 18th over to Donovan Ferreira, though it proved costly as Delhi capitalised. “It is the captain who takes the decision. He backs his feeling. Our option was to bring six bowlers. But when we lost wickets quickly, we picked Dasun Shanaka as an impact player. Otherwise we could have picked a bowler as an impact player. There are some plans discussed with the analyst and the coach, but there on the field it is the captain who takes the ball.” He also clarified that Parag did not bowl due to a hamstring problem, further limiting RR’s options at a crucial stage. Despite the loss, Rathour remained confident of Vaibhav sooryavanshi’s rapid rise and dismissed concerns about his ability against slower deliveries. “No one is perfect in this world,” he said, adding, “Everyone will have a weakness. I don’t think Vaibhav has a weakness against slower balls. On a wicket like this, where the ball sticks, the change of pace is good against any batsman, not just Vaibhav.” He further praised the youngster’s impact at the top and described him as a special talent. “A lot has been said about his ability and he’s given us a great start. I hope he converts one of these innings and goes deep. It’s not too far with the way he’s batting.” In IPL 2026 so far, Vaibhav sooryavanshi has scored 486 runs in 12 innings at an average of 40.50 and a strike rate of 234.78, including a century and two fifties, making him RR’s leading run-scorer this season. In the match itself, his early fireworks helped RR build momentum as they added 70 runs with Jurel, while Parag’s 51 off 26 balls added further strength. But from 162/2 the innings fell apart dramatically as Starc (4/39), Lungi Ngidi (2/24) and Madhav Tiwari (2/27) triggered the collapse. In response, Delhi Capitals were led by half-centuries from Abhisek Porel (51) and KL Rahul (56) before Axar Patel (34*) and Ashutosh Sharma (18*) completed the chase with ease as they sealed a five-wicket win with four balls to spare.