Pat Cummins hails Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as ‘new favourite player’ after 36-ball ton vs SRH

Winning hearts with yet another explosive IPL hundred, teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has earned a new admirer in Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins, who called the 15-year-old his “new favourite player” after a high-scoring clash in IPL 2026.

“I think he’s my new favourite player,” Cummins said after the match. “He hits the ball so hard, it’s great to watch, it’s good fun. You’ve got to be right on the money as a bowler because if you’re not, it’s going a long way. He’s impressive, he’s had a great start to his career and I like the way he plays, he takes the game on.”

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Despite Sooryavanshi’s fireworks, Cummins’ Sunrisers Hyderabad emerged victorious, with the Australian pacer also making a strong return from injury. The SRH skipper endured an early scare when Sooryavanshi launched his very first delivery for a six over mid-wicket, immediately putting bowlers under pressure.

Cummins, returning after a long injury layoff, finished with impressive figures of 1/27. After conceding 11 runs in his first over, he tightened his lines and gave away just seven runs in his final two overs, including a pinpoint yorker to dismiss Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag.

Sooryavanshi, however, continued his sensational rise with a blistering century off just 36 balls, reaching his fifty in only 15 deliveries and once again showcasing his fearless approach at the top level.

Reflecting on his comeback, Cummins said he was pleased with his return to rhythm after months out of action.

“I’m really happy. I was never quite sure how it would play out in the first game,” he said. “The IPL’s fun, you’ve got to constantly adapt.”

In a high-scoring contest shaped by aggressive batting, SRH chased down 229 with contributions from Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan after an early setback, moving them to third on the points table.