new delhi, May 20
With a sensational match-winning knock that powered Rajasthan Royals to a crucial victory, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also revealed the emotional story behind his viral celebration, dedicating the special hand gesture to his mother after reaching his half-century against Lucknow Super Giants.
The teenage opener produced one of the standout innings of IPL 2026, smashing a breathtaking 93 off just 38 deliveries as Rajasthan Royals chased down a daunting 221-run target with seven wickets in hand at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. His explosive knock, studded with 10 sixes, kept RR’s playoff hopes alive and instantly became one of the biggest talking points of the season.
But while fans celebrated his fearless batting, many were equally curious about the unique gesture he made after bringing up his fifty.
Speaking in a video shared by Rajasthan Royals on X, Sooryavanshi finally opened up on the meaning behind the celebration and revealed it was a deeply personal tribute to his mother.
“I dedicated it to my mother. I didn’t want to tell everyone because this is personal. Actually, it was for her. Her name starts with A, so I made it,” Sooryavanshi said.
The youngster admitted the pressure of the steep chase briefly got to him early in the innings, but a calming message from opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal helped him regain confidence. “When I got 2-3 balls, I started feeling a bit of pressure. But Yashasvi Bhaiya said, ‘You play 10 overs. Till then, they will be on the back foot. You don’t take tension in the game. The score can be covered at any time,’” he revealed.
Despite his naturally aggressive approach, Sooryavanshi said he consciously tried to bat deeper into the innings considering the significance of the match for Rajasthan Royals.
“It was a very important game. It was a challenge for the team. I wanted to keep playing until the game was over. But I will try to finish the game next time as well with this mindset,” he added.
The 15-year-old also shared an interesting exchange with RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara before the chase, saying he sensed tension in the dressing room after the team’s recent struggles.
“We were not doing well in the last three matches. Even today, when the score was 220, I could see he was under tension. But I was confident that if I backed my game, it would be done,” he said. Sooryavanshi further termed the innings as more valuable than a century because of the context and pressure surrounding the contest. “It was a very special knock. I can say that it was more important than a hundred this season because this match was very crucial,” he added. Earlier, Mitchell Marsh smashed 96 while Josh Inglis made 60 to propel LSG to 220/5. However, RR completed the chase in 19.1 overs, with Dhruv Jurel remaining unbeaten on 53 to seal a memorable win.
