Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra showered praise on Vaibhav Suryavanshi after the youngster scored a stunning knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium, Jaipur on Saturday.
The youngster continued his rich form in the ongoing IPL 2026, smashing 103 runs off just 37 balls with the help of five and a dozen sixes. He scored his runs at a blistering strike rate of 278.38. Thus, he played a key role in helping RR post a par score of 228 runs on the board.
The 15-year-old had the rub of the green on his side as he was dropped by Aniket Verma when he was on 32.
Suryavanshi has been playing fearlessly since his debut last season and smashed SRH captain Pat Cummins for a six on the first ball he faced against the Australian. He also became the fastest batter to reach 1000 T20 runs.
“He has become the first batter to hit four sixes in the first over of an IPL innings. He is the only player to score three fifties in less than 15 balls. He is the fastest to 1,000 T20 runs. Our man is the fastest to 50 IPL sixes. He has done that in only 15 innings. He has hit the most sixes (12) by an Indian batter in an innings. That’s Vaibhav Suryavanshi,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“He hit Pat Cummins for a first-ball six. He has made a list of good players he would hit for a four or six off the first ball, and he is doing that – Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Trent Boult, Pat Cummins, Bhuvneshwar Kumar – keep coming and keep getting hit,” he added.
On the other hand, the renowned commentator highlighted that SRH opener Travis Head is struggling for form. Head was dismissed after scoring six runs against RR and has managed only 186 runs in eight matches of IPL 2026.
“You feel 228 is enough, but it isn’t nowadays. Hyderabad scored 229 very easily. Travis Head is struggling for form. He would have got out on the first ball. Dhruv Jurel dropped a difficult catch, but he was still dismissed in the first over. Jofra Archer has now dismissed five batters in the first over and three on the first ball,” he said.
Rajasthan Royals will next take on Punjab Kings at New Chandigarh on Tuesday.
