Rajasthan Royals batsman (RR) Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was not happy with the team’s tactical decision during the IPL 2026 season. Assistant coach Trevor Penny revealed that the 15-year-old cricketer was not satisfied with being regularly used as an impact player and wanted a bigger role in the ongoing tournament.

Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Monday, April 13. The Royals’ undefeated streak ended in the tournament. Debutant pacer Praful Hinge played a key role, taking four wickets and dismissing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for an early golden duck.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi expresses displeasure over Impact player’s role

Rajasthan Royals used Vaibhav Sooryavanshi only as an impact player in their last two matches. The 15-year-old batsman remained in the dugout during the fielding innings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad, and came in only during the run chase.

Speaking to the broadcaster, Trevor Penny was asked about Sooryavanshi’s play as an impact substitute. He said the young batsman was not happy about missing out on fielding duties and enjoys being involved throughout the game.

“In the last match he missed, he wasn’t very happy because he loves his fielding. It’s not because he’s a bad fielder,” Penny told the broadcaster during the IPL 2026 match between the Sunrisers and the Royals.

Donovan Ferreira has passed his fitness test – Trevor Penny

Trevor Penny clarified that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was not out due to poor fielding. He explained that the return of South African player Donovan Ferreira motivated this tactical decision. Ferreira recently passed his physical fitness tests after recovering from a collarbone injury.

Ferreira suffered the injury during the SA20 tournament. Penny described him as an excellent fielder whose return improves the team’s fielding strength, which unfortunately pushed Sooryavanshi out of the main line-up.

“Donovan passed his fitness test. He broke his collarbone in SA20. He’s a weapon fielder. It’s good to have him back on the field. Unfortunately, Vaibhav misses out,” Penny said.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to shine with the bat

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has impressed with the bat this season. The 15-year-old has scored two quick half-centuries, reaching the milestone in just 15 balls against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He has also faced top bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood.

He scored 78 runs off 26 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, his form took a hit against Sunrisers Hyderabad where debutant pacer Praful Hinge dismissed him for a golden duck during the chase.

The young batsman made headlines by scoring the fastest century by an Indian in the history of the tournament last season. He has 200 runs in five innings with a strike rate of over 260 and is currently at the top of the Orange Cap list.

The Riyan Parag-led team will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their next match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, April 19.

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