Mumbai: Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to clash with Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2026 Eliminator at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, with much attention focused on teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Despite dominating much of the league stage, SRH finished third on the points table, while Rajasthan Royals secured a late playoff berth after defeating Mumbai Indians in their final league match. Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav has emerged as Rajasthan’s biggest match-winner this season. Continuing his impressive form from IPL 2025, the young batter has scored 583 runs in 14 matches and remains a strong contender in the Orange Cap race.
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Ahead of the high-stakes encounter, SRH captain Pat Cummins admitted that the team has developed specific plans to counter the teenage prodigy. Cummins said that while bowlers focus on their strengths, players capable of changing games quickly require additional planning. Referring to Vaibhav’s century against SRH earlier this season, Cummins noted that there were phases where SRH managed to keep him under control, although he eventually capitalised on loose deliveries. Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, are expected to rely not only on Vaibhav but also on key batters like Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal to shoulder greater responsibility in the knockout contest.
