Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Praful Hinge drew criticism on social media following his animated celebration after dismissing Rajasthan Royals batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the IPL 2026 Eliminator on Wednesday. The incident came after the teenage batting sensation had produced one of the most explosive knocks of the tournament, smashing 97 runs off just 29 deliveries and nearly single-handedly keeping Rajasthan Royals in command of the contest.

Sooryavanshi’s innings featured 12 sixes and saw him break Chris Gayle’s record for the most sixes in a single IPL season. The young batter also came agonisingly close to surpassing Gayle’s mark for the fastest century in T20 cricket before eventually falling short by just three runs. His aggressive strokeplay had put immense pressure on the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling attack throughout the innings.

Praful Hinge eventually ended the blistering knock by dismissing Sooryavanshi, but it was his celebration that quickly became a talking point online. After taking the wicket, the fast bowler turned toward the Rajasthan Royals batter and appeared to celebrate aggressively while maintaining eye contact with him. Several users on social media criticised the reaction, calling it “excessive” and unnecessary given the dominance Sooryavanshi had shown against the bowling attack during his innings.

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Visuals from the match showed Sooryavanshi standing motionless near the crease after his dismissal, visibly disappointed at missing out on a century. Sunrisers Hyderabad batter Abhishek Sharma was also seen approaching the youngster to console him following the dismissal. The moment triggered widespread discussion online, with many fans praising Sooryavanshi’s maturity and composure despite the emotional setback.

The innings also drew glowing praise from several former Indian cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, who highlighted the teenager’s exceptional bat swing and fearless approach against high-quality bowling. Tendulkar described the knock as “nothing short of spectacular” and praised Sooryavanshi’s ability to create room and dominate deliveries targeted at his body and pads.

Former India all-rounders Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina also applauded the youngster’s performance on social media. Yuvraj called the innings “unbelievable,” while Raina said Sooryavanshi’s emergence showed that the future of Indian cricket remains in safe hands. Despite falling short of a century, the Rajasthan Royals batter’s innings became one of the standout moments of the IPL 2026 playoffs and further strengthened his reputation as one of Indian cricket’s brightest young talents.

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