It took Vaibhav Sooryavanshi just one-and-a-half IPL seasons to become the tournament’s new poster boy. And that, despite the league being packed with bona fide legends and rising stars who have spent years building their reputations season after season. At just 15, he has been doing things scarcely believable for someone his age.
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Amid his surreal rise to stardom, former India batter Ambati Rayudu believes Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi’s Rajasthan Royals teammate and a supestar in the making, may eventually have to move on from the franchise.
Why?
Because Rayudu feels Jaiswal may have to settle for playing second fiddle to Sooryavanshi, whom he predicts will eventually overshadow the India
batting star.
“He (Jaiswal) needs to change his game because he cannot just bat with the guy (Sooryavanshi) and be overshadowed every single time,” Rayudu said on ESPNcricinfo. “He is a star in his own right. If he goes to another team, he will win games on his own. He needs space and a platform because this guy will continue to overshadow people.”
Sooryavanshi has produced some remarkable performances in IPL 2026, amassing 680 runs from 15 innings at a staggering strike rate of 242.85. He already has a century and four fifties to his name, while twice being dismissed in the 90s. Those numbers become even more significant when viewed in the context of his age and limited experience. And these are only the early days of his professional career, with an India debut seemingly on the horizon.
Jaiswal, meanwhile, has already represented India across all three formats. He is also among the few Indian batters to have scored a century in each format.
In the IPL, Jaiswal has scored more than 2,500 runs at a strike rate of 152.92.
Rayudu also suggested which franchise could be the ideal fit for Jaiswal.
“It has to be a senior partner, along with him, who can deal with it. Be happy for him. Be happy for what is happening and not be in a contest. You can’t compete with him. MI could be a great team for Jaiswal,” he said.
