I am not old: Yashasvi Jaiswal's hilarious response to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi question

IPL 2026, PBKS vs RR: Yashasvi Jaiswal laughed off being called the senior partner after Rajasthan Royals' successful chase in Punjab on Tuesdady. He praised 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying he enjoys batting with the record-breaking teenager.

In Short

• Vaibhav smashed 43 off 16, including five sixes, against Punjab Kings
• Jaiswal then steadied the successful chase, making a composed 51 off 27
• The two have added 451 runs together for Rajasthan in IPL 2026

Age is just a number, but for Yashasvi Jaiswal, it's a number he isn't quite ready to inflate just yet. The scene at Mullanpur was as heartwarming as it was historic: after Rajasthan Royals hunted down a towering 223 against Punjab Kings on Tuesday, Jaiswal, the established face of the franchise, handed over his Orange Cap to his 15-year-old opening partner, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The mood shifted from celebratory to cheeky when the broadcaster asked Jaiswal: "How is it being the older partner?"

The 24-year-old, usually known for his steely focus, couldn't help but laugh at his overnight promotion to the senior ranks. IPL 2026, PBKS vs RR Highlights | Scorecard

"I don't think so, that I'm older. I'm still very young," he quipped, playfully defending his own youth.

Striking a more reflective tone, Jaiswal admitted the age gap was a unique territory to navigate.

"But of course, he is quite young. So, I don't know what to say about it, to be honest," he said.

"Of course, it's amazing. I really enjoyed batting with him and he's playing amazing. So it's always, I'm always happy seeing from the other end, the way he's hitting the ball."

VAIBHAV AND JAISWAL BEGIN WITH A BANG

The chase began with a hurricane. 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took on the veteran Arshdeep Singh immediately, racing to 43 off 16 balls with five massive sixes. His aggression allowed Yashasvi Jaiswal to play with freedom, as the duo put on 51 runs in just 3.2 overs.

It was a sensational six-hitting show as the 15-year-old tore into Arshdeep Singh as early as the first over, hitting a six and two boundaries. He then targeted Lockie Ferguson in the second over, before taking Arshdeep to the cleaners once again in the fourth over. Vaibhav, having hit 5 sixes in the first 20 balls of the chase, was looking set for more, but he was caught at long-on while trying to hit another six against the left-arm pacer.

Jaiswal continued the momentum after the teenager's departure, anchoring the middle phase with a composed 51 off 27 balls.

Shedding light on the aggressive opening partnership, Jaiswal said: "Of course, we knew that it's a high-scoring ground. So we have to keep the intent and we have to go whenever we feel like. So I was also thinking, okay, if it is in my range, so I'm gonna hit it. And of course, like we needed a good start because we are scoring, we have to score 200, more than 200 runs. So it was pretty clear that we were going to hit the ball if it was in our arc."

Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi have been brothers of destruction in IPL 2026, topping the charts for partnership. They have added 451 runs in nine innings for Rajasthan.

The chase tightened in the middle overs as Yuzvendra Chahal (3/36) ripped through the RR lineup. However, Donovan Ferreira (52 off 26) and Shubham Dubey (31 off 12) produced a finishing masterclass. Their unbeaten 77-run partnership off just 32 balls transformed a steep required rate into a comfortable stroll.

Earlier in the day, batting first, the Kings posted a formidable 222/4, fueled by Marcus Stoinis' late-innings carnage. While Prabhsimran Singh laid the foundation with a steady 59 off 44, Stoinis unleashed Hulk mode, smashing an unbeaten 62 off just 22 deliveries at a strike rate of 281.82.

With the record chase, Rajasthan remained at the third spot with 12 points from nine matches, inching closer towards a spot in the playoffs.

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