All eyes will be on batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi when Rajasthan Royals begin their IPL 2026 campaign against the 5-time champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), on March 30 in Guwahati. The teenager
from Bihar has registered several records to his name across all formats of the game ever since he became the youngest player with an IPL deal at 13 years of age, ahead of the 2025 season.
Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan said that this season will be a learning curve for the rising batting sensation, with several teams analysing his weaknesses.
Speaking on JioStar’s IPL show, Pathan spoke on how after playing all formats of the game and scoring runs, Suryavanshi will face a challenge that everyone has taken note of his success, strengths and are also analysing his weaknesses.
“This season of the IPL for Vaibhav Suryavanshi will be a learning one. He has played in the tournament last year, he has played domestic cricket, and he is playing cricket in all formats everywhere. He played in the Under-19 World Cup, he has taken part in the Ranji Trophy with Bihar, and he has scored runs everywhere,” Pathan said.
“In white-ball cricket and red-ball cricket, everyone is taking note of him. Bowlers are doing the same. Since he has played so much cricket since his IPL debut last year, other players are watching his videos and analysing his weaknesses,” he added.
Irfan said that the 14-year-old left-hander needs to find ways to upgrade his game and work on his weaknesses, and added that after having such a dominant run across formats in recent times, Suryavanshi will be high on confidence and looking to prove a point.
“He has slammed centuries with ease in all forms of cricket. When you do that consistently, not just in IPL but in domestic cricket, Under-19 cricket and emerging matches, your confidence keeps going higher,” Pathan said.
“This IPL season, all bowlers will be ready with their strategies, and Vaibhav will be looking to prove a point. He can do that by slamming another hundred in the IPL. When he scores runs consistently this season, that is when we can say Vaibhav Suryavanshi has upgraded his game,” he concluded.
Suryavanshi has rapidly emerged as one of India’s most exciting young talents, delivering record-breaking performances across formats. At the U19 World Cup this year, he finished as the second-highest run-getter with 439 runs in seven matches, averaging 62.71 at a blistering strike rate of 169.49, including a century and three fifties. He also smashed a record 30 sixes, the most in tournament history.
In U19 ODIs, he is India’s leading run-scorer with 1,412 runs in 25 innings. His rise began in October 2024 with a 58-ball century against Australia U19. Picked by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore, he became the youngest IPL player and later the youngest T20 centurion.
He impressed with 252 runs in seven IPL innings. From Youth Tests to domestic cricket, including standout knocks in SMAT and Vijay Hazare Trophy, Suryavanshi continues to rewrite records.
