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Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) all-rounder Liam Livingstone recalled the challenge of bowling to Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the IPL 2026 playoffs. Livingstone revealed that he had never witnessed a batter striking the ball with such clinical precision and absolute authority.
In the IPL 2026 Eliminator in Chandigarh, Sooryavanshi played a crucial role in ending Sunrisers Hyderabad’s campaign. The left-handed batter smashed a brilliant 97 off just 26 balls. He then smashed 96 against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 2, but RR missed out on a place in the final after suffering a seven-wicket defeat.
I’ve Never Seen Anything Like It – Liam Livingstone Lauds Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Speaking on the Stick to Cricket Podcast, Liam Livingstone admitted that despite playing alongside and against several world-class cricketers throughout his career, he had never seen a batter strike the ball with such precision and authority.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. And I’ve been there; this year was my seventh IPL. And I’ve played with and against some very good players, and I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hammered a blistering 97 off just 29 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the do-or-die Eliminator. The teenage opener smashed a record 12 sixes during the innings, completely taking the game away from the opposition.
Well, Hold On a Minute, Where Do We Bowl? – Liam Livingstone on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Dominance
Liam Livingstone said that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi quickly adapted his game to counter every bowling plan. The Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder revealed that the team management and captain Pat Cummins were left searching for answers as the teenager comfortably handled both short-pitched and full deliveries.
“He’s just like the way he hits a ball, he hits a ball so clean, yeah. He never really mis-hits a ball the whole time. The first time we got him out with a bouncer, he hit it straight up off the first ball.”
“But the development he made as a player from the start of the tournament to the end was incredible. We were bowling bouncers and he was hitting them over third man. Then you’d bowl in one area and he’d hit it somewhere else; bowl full and he’d hit it there; bowl a low full toss and he’d flick it over there. And you’re like, ‘Well, hold on a minute, where do we bowl?'”
SRH and RR faced each other three times during the IPL 2026 season. Sooryavanshi was dismissed for a duck by Praful Hinge in their first meeting but bounced back with a stunning 103 off 37 balls in the next encounter before scoring 97 in the Eliminator.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Record-Breaking IPL 2026 Campaign
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s sensational batting performances continued to dominate cricket discussions even after the end of IPL 2026. The fearless opener showed no respect for reputations and consistently put some of the world’s best bowlers under pressure with his aggressive approach.
The explosive left-hander took apart top international bowlers such as Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Sooryavanshi finished IPL 2026 as the tournament’s highest run-scorer, scoring 776 runs in 16 innings at an outstanding strike rate of 237.30 to win the Orange Cap.
The teenager also rewrote the record books by smashing 72 sixes during the season, surpassing Chris Gayle’s previous record of 59. His remarkable campaign for Rajasthan Royals included one century and five half-centuries, earning him the Most Valuable Player award.
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