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MI were blown away early on by Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The 15-year-old southpaw made 39 from just 14 balls in an 80-run opening stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal (77) for RR as they posted 150/3 in 11 overs after rain delayed the start. MI managed only 123/9. But one man who was left in awe of the teen sensation was none other than the MI skipper himself, Hardik Pandya.

Hardik has become a fan of Vaibhav and sought him out after the game to congratulate him. Not only did the two-time T20 World Cup winner shake the youngster’s hands but thumped his chest in a gesture of encouragement. Vaibhav could be seen smiling as he felt humbled to get praise from a legend of the shortest format. It showed true sportsman spirit from Hardik’s side. After all, they are all opponents only on the field.

© X/IPL

The 32-year-old was also all praise for Vaibhav when he spoke after the game. He said it was fascinating to watch him bat. He wished the teenager good luck for the future.

"It's quite fascinating to see a 17 or a 16-year-old boy playing the way he played. At the same point of time, we discussed so much about him in the preparation leading up to the game," he said.

That’s sportsmanship 🤝

Hardik Pandya appreciating young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 👏🔥 pic.twitter.com/nMMpWdqULZ

— CricketBlaze (@cricketblazeco) April 7, 2026

"So yeah, amazing to see the way he bats, the kind of fearlessness he has, the kind of shots he has. I wish him absolute good luck in the future," he added.

Vaibhav’s rise in cricket continues and he’s only getting better as he gets older. On March 27, he turned 15 so legally is eligible to play for India. Of course, it is not clear when that will happen, if at all. Vaibhav’s journey has only just begun but he’s going about it the right way.