Rajasthan Royals Vaibhav Suryavanshi (ANI Image)
After the IPL 2026 match between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, former RR star Jos Buttler once again won hearts with a touching gesture towards teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi by gifting him his bat after the match.Vaibhav has emerged as one of the standout players of IPL 2026 with his courageous batting for Rajasthan Royals. Rajasthan Royals even lost to Gujarat Titans, where the 15-year-old impressed with a quickfire 36 off just 16 balls at a strike rate of 225, smashing three fours and three sixes.
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This wasn’t the first intimate interaction between Butler and the youngster this season. Earlier during their first meeting, the England star was seen sharing an emotional moment with Vaibhav, where he praised the teenager and called him the best batsman he had seen at that age.“I said don’t get him too excited, but he is the best player I have ever seen at this age. Imagine where he will be at 21 or 25 years old, with the world at his feet. He is very good to watch,” Buttler said in a video shared by Rajasthan Royals.He also praised Vaibhav’s fearless style and reminded him of his amazing performance during the Under-19 World Cup.“You broke English hearts in the Under-19 World Cup. It’s amazing. You’re playing very well, keep it up.”
Butler added that this freedom is amazing to watch.
Now, after their last encounter, Buttler has once again shown his admiration for the young prodigy by gifting him his bat, highlighting the growing respect Vaibhav has already earned from some of the biggest names in world cricket.
GT outperforms RR
The Giants produced a complete all-round performance to record a solid 77-run victory on May 9, 2026. Batting first, GT posted a massive tally of 229/4 in 20 overs, their highest total of the season.Captain Shubman Gill led from the front with a brilliant 84 off 44 balls, while Sai Sudharsen contributed 55 balls as the duo put together a dominant 118-run opening stand. Washington Sundar then produced a blistering finish with an unbeaten 37 off 20 balls.In reply, RR started strongly thanks to attacking cameos from teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who smashed 36 off just 16 balls, and Dhruv Jurel, who added 24 off 10 deliveries. However, Rashid Khan completely changed the momentum with his mid-wicket spell as RR collapsed from a promising position to 152 in just 16.3 overs.Jason Holder also played a key role with the ball, while GT’s disciplined bowling unit ensured the chase never recovered from Rashid’s breakthroughs.