Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour has reassured fans that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s dismissal against slower balls is not a cause for concern. During the IPL 2026 match against Delhi Capitals on Sunday, Vaibhav scored 46 runs from just 21 balls before being dismissed by Madhav Tiwari with a slower delivery.
Rathour emphasized that no player is perfect and everyone has weaknesses. He believes slow balls are not a weakness for Vaibhav and urged bowlers to test him. “On wickets where the ball grips, change of pace can work against anyone,” he said after the match.
Vaibhav, who joined RR in 2025 at the age of 15 for ₹1.10 crore, has been a standout performer. In IPL 2025, he scored 252 runs in seven matches with an impressive strike rate of 206.55. This season, the 15-year-old from Bihar has aggregated 486 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate of 234.78, including two half-centuries and one century. He is currently RR’s top scorer.
Rathour expressed confidence in Vaibhav’s ability to deliver a big innings soon. “He’s a special player, and we’ve seen enough of his talent,” he said. “I just hope he converts a knock and goes deeper into the innings.”
The coach also stressed the importance of playing to one’s strengths. “Different players bat differently, but if you stick to your strengths, you can score runs,” he explained.
Overall, Vaibhav has played 19 IPL games, scoring 738 runs at a strike rate of 224.31, with three fifties and two centuries.
Meanwhile, RR’s playoff hopes are uncertain after their five-wicket loss to DC on Sunday. They sit in sixth place with 12 points from 12 matches. To qualify, they need to win both remaining matches, which would take them to 16 points. Winning one match would leave them on 14 points, but they’d still need favorable results elsewhere.
Despite the challenging situation, Rathour remains confident. “We aim to win every game,” he said. “Our belief is that if we play to our potential, we can beat any team.”