- By Namrata Vijay
- Thu, 28 May 2026 02:11 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
RR vs SRH IPL 2026 Eliminator: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi yet again grabbed everyone's attention in the IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, which was a crucial knockout game determining who would progress to the next stage of the playoffs. But this time, it wasn't just his explosive batting. Before going all guns-blazing with his batting, the youngster made a heartwarming gesture of respect, and the incident went viral on social media.
In the tense moments preceding the match in Mullanpur, Sooryavanshi, radiating humility, approached the broadcaster area during warm-ups and respectfully touched the feet of Sunil Gavaskar, alongside ex-India coach Sanjay Bangar, both present for the pre-match show. The unexpected act left onlookers moved—a powerful reminder that, despite his rising fame, Sooryavanshi’s feet remained rooted in gratitude and tradition.
The touching gesture became even more heartfelt when presenter Jatin Sapru hesitated, perhaps caught between pride and humility himself, as he briefly stepped aside—unsure if he, too, would be honored by the youngster’s reverence.
ALSO READ: Yashasvi Jaiswal Advised To Leave RR For Mumbai Indians To Step Out Of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Shadow
Watch the video here:
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi touching the feet of Sunil Gavaskar and Sanjay Bangar before the match was such a beautiful gesture
— Mohit Bohra (@mohitsharma1910) May 27, 2026
But the funniest part came next
Bro then started walking towards Jatin Sapru and Jatin bhai immediately moved aside like, “Arre bhai abhi itna bhi bada… pic.twitter.com/IiL6xIZAbx
Vaibhav’s Canrage After Respect
Yet as soon as the innings commenced, the same quiet, composed young man transformed, his eyes ablaze with determination, unleashing a torrent of aggression in the arena and stunning both opponents and viewers with his shift in intensity.
He crafted one of the most explosive and awe-inspiring innings in tournament history, hammering a match-winning 97 runs off just 29 deliveries against an unrelenting SRH bowling attack led by Pat Cummins. Every six and four brought the crowd to its feet, and his blazing half-century off just 16 balls ignited raw emotion in teammates and supporters alike.
His explosive knock helped the Riyan Parag-led side post a mammoth target of 243 runs, giving them a significant edge in this do-or-die Eliminator match with progression to the next playoff round at stake. During his knock, Sooryavanshi surpassed Chris Gayle's long-standing tally of smashing the most sixes during a single season as he had hit 65 sixes. He also broke David Warner's record of scoring the most runs during the power play in a single season.
After his dismissal, the Rajasthan-based franchise stormed to 125 runs in just eight overs, leaving the Pat Cummins-led side reeling. They conquered the Gujarat Titans by 47 runs in the second Qualifier.