Sooryavanshi turned the RR vs SRH match into something special with that 36-ball century, but then he limped off the field in the second innings with a possible hamstring injury, shocking Rajasthan Royals fans. The team currently leading IPL 2026 now need to find out how well their young, star player is doing.
What happened during RR vs SRH in Jaipur
The 15-year-old left-handed batter was the star of the first innings, hitting four sixes in the very first over and quickly getting to a brilliant 100. His energetic batting got RR back on track after some recent losses and made a very hot evening in Jaipur even brighter.
However, when SRH began their chase, everyone became worried instead of happy. Sooryavanshi stopped running for a boundary in the third over, and held his right hamstring. He got treatment on the field, then had to limp off, clearly in pain, which surprised the fans at the stadium.
After the action between deliveries, you could see the young player clutching his hamstring as he walked off the pitch. Team staff had to help him and he looked upset, immediately making people wonder how bad the injury was and how it would affect RR’s chances of winning the tournament.
Is it a hamstring injury or severe cramps?
At first it looked like a simple hamstring pull from running after hitting the ball for four. But later, it seemed it could be severe cramps, and a lot of players have been getting those this season because of the very strong heat across northern India.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he did have cramps. He batted for 14 overs in the hot afternoon sun, hitting 37 balls with a lot of strength. When it’s like that, staying active for a long time can cause you to lose water in your body, lose important salts, and your muscles to get tired, which often leads to sudden cramps.
Jaipur was around 41 degrees Celsius, and when it’s that hot your body loses important things like sodium and potassium. And if you add that to repeatedly moving explosively and lactic acid building up in your muscles, cramps are likely. On Saturday, Sooryavanshi couldn’t continue after only four overs in the field.
Here are the key developments from Jaipur so far:
– Century in 36 balls in the first innings
– Injury scare in the third over of the chase
– Clutched right hamstring, then limped off
– Later signs suggested severe cramps
– Official update awaited from RR
Why it matters for Rajasthan Royals
Sooryavanshi has been really important to RR’s batting this season. He now has the most runs in the competition (357 in 8 innings) and hits the ball at a rate of 234.86 thanks to his latest century. He’s ahead of KL Rahul because of that higher rate.
He’s hit 32 sixes this season, showing how much of an impact he has at the start and in the middle of the innings. Virat Kohli and Rahul have managed 31 sixes between them. For a 15-year-old, both his stats and how he handles the pressure are amazing, and if he’s not playing, it will make a big difference.
A bad hamstring injury could keep him out for weeks – that’s roughly how long those sorts of injuries usually take to recover from. RR would then have to change their players and how they play during an important part of the competition.
Who could replace Vaibhav if he sits out
If RR have to rest Sooryavanshi, Lhuan-dre Pretorious could be used. But Pretorious is an international player, which would make the team’s mix of players more complicated. RR have been choosing Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger as their four international players.
Archer and Burger have been doing well with the new ball and seem certain to play. This means the choice will be between Hetmyer and Ferreira if Pretorious is brought in. Ferreira has scored 130 runs in 7 innings, while Hetmyer has 72 in 6 and hasn’t been at his best.
The selection picture, if needed, could hinge on form and flexibility:
– Archer and Burger are key with the new ball
– Ferreira has outscored Hetmyer this season
– Pretorious would require an overseas reshuffle
Record-breaking hundred powers Orange Cap surge
Saturday’s century was the second incredibly fast century Sooryavanshi has made in the IPL. He now has two of the three quickest centuries in the IPL, as he previously reached 100 off 35 balls against Gujarat Titans, and was the youngest to ever do so.
From the very first ball against SRH, he was determined to score runs. He punished both the speed and the height of the ball, and especially targeted Sakib Hussain, an uncapped bowler, to get to his century. It was a strong reaction after getting a ‘golden duck’ (being out off the first ball) against the same team earlier in the season.
The innings came after a difficult week for the young player, who was clearly upset after a narrow defeat against Kolkata on April 19th. In Jaipur, he showed he was strong and brave, and proved he’s the main, new star of IPL 2026.
What comes next
Rajasthan Royals haven’t officially said what the problem is medically. Right now, the team and the fans are hoping it’s just cramps and not a torn hamstring. The most important thing at the moment is for him to get some rest, be looked at, and be carefully managed in the extreme heat.
If it’s not a serious problem, Sooryavanshi could be back playing soon. If it is, RR might have to change their plans for international players and the top of the batting order. Either way, his great performance in Jaipur has already changed the race for the Orange Cap (the most runs scored) and the story of this year’s IPL.
