Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's IPL 2026 blitz is special, but India debut can wait: Chopra
Synopsis
A 15-year-old smashed 97 off 29 balls, broke Chris Gayle's 12-year sixes record, and left Pat Cummins without answers — yet Aakash Chopra says Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's India debut can wait. With 680 runs and 65 sixes in IPL 2026, the debate is no longer whether he is ready, but whether Indian cricket is ready for him.
Key Takeaways
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 97 off 29 balls with 12 sixes in the IPL 2026 Eliminator , helping Rajasthan Royals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs .
Sooryavanshi holds the Orange Cap with 680 runs and has hit 65 sixes this season, surpassing Chris Gayle 's record of 59 sixes in a single IPL campaign.
Former India batter Aakash Chopra called him 'special' but said his India debut can wait , citing his age of 15 and the presence of established openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson .
Chopra noted the next World Cup is two years away , giving selectors Ajit Agarkar , RP Singh , and Pragyan Ojha ample time to plan.
Sooryavanshi faces Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 in New Chandigarh on Friday .
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi lit up the IPL 2026 Eliminator with a stunning 97 off 29 balls, propelling Rajasthan Royals to a 243/8 and a dominant 47-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on 28 May. Former India batter Aakash Chopra called the 15-year-old opener 'special' but urged patience on an India call-up, insisting the debut can wait.
The Innings That Stunned SRH
Sooryavanshi's knock featured 12 sixes and left the Sunrisers bowling attack — anchored by world-class operators Pat Cummins and Eshan Malinga — completely without answers. He narrowly missed the record for the fastest hundred in IPL history, yet the innings was widely regarded as one of the finest counter-attacking efforts by an opener in recent memory.
The blitz also saw Sooryavanshi surpass Chris Gayle's 12-year-old record of 59 sixes in a single IPL season. The teenager now sits at 65 sixes for the campaign and holds the Orange Cap with 680 runs in IPL 2026. He faces the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 in New Chandigarh on Friday.
Chopra's Case for Patience
Speaking on Star Sports, Chopra acknowledged the clamour for Sooryavanshi's India debut but counselled against hasty selection. 'You don't make changes just for the sake of it. For someone to be dropped, they need to fail. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are those toppers right now. You don't replace them,' Chopra said.
He pointed to the two-year window before the next World Cup as sufficient breathing room. 'His India debut doesn't have to happen tomorrow. It can wait. He is only 15. There is no rush,' Chopra added, noting that selectors Ajit Agarkar, RP Singh, and Pragyan Ojha must prioritise the long-term health of Indian cricket over immediate excitement.
What Makes Sooryavanshi Different
Chopra broke down the technical and temperamental traits that make the teenager so destructive. 'It all starts with his backlift. That generates immense power. He has a very solid base at the crease. He mostly likes to hit down the ground or on the leg side, where he can use his bottom hand effectively,' he explained.
Chopra also highlighted a moment of growing maturity — a controlled shot over covers off a slower ball from Sakib — as evidence that Sooryavanshi is not just a slogger but a thinking batter. 'He held his pose for a moment, paused, and then unleashed. He is reminding us that if you grow up on a T20-only diet, this is the kind of batter you can become,' Chopra said.
Gayle's Shadow and What Comes Next
Chopra drew a pointed comparison with Chris Gayle, a legend who carried the weight of Test cricket alongside his T20 feats. Sooryavanshi, by contrast, has been shaped entirely by the shortest format. 'He carries no baggage from other formats. This is what he always wanted to be,' Chopra observed.
With 65 sixes already to his name this season, Chopra speculated that Sooryavanshi could reach 70 in the Qualifier 2 clash and, in future seasons, potentially threaten the landmark of 100 sixes in a single IPL campaign. The next chapter for the teenager begins Friday in New Chandigarh.
Point of View
Yet so young that rushing him carries real developmental risk. Chopra's logic is sound — Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are performing, and selection should be merit-based, not novelty-driven. But the deeper question is whether the IPL's T20-only production line is creating a new archetype of batter that the national team's format hierarchy is not yet built to absorb. Sooryavanshi at 15 with 65 sixes is not a freak outlier; he may be a preview of what Indian batting looks like in a decade.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi perform in the IPL 2026 Eliminator?
Sooryavanshi scored 97 off just 29 balls, hitting 12 sixes, as Rajasthan Royals posted 243/8 and beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs. It was widely described as one of the finest counter-attacking innings by an opener in recent IPL history.
What record did Sooryavanshi break in IPL 2026?
Sooryavanshi surpassed Chris Gayle's 12-year-old record of 59 sixes in a single IPL season, reaching 65 sixes for the campaign. He also holds the Orange Cap with 680 runs in IPL 2026.
Why did Aakash Chopra say Sooryavanshi's India debut can wait?
Chopra argued that established openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are performing well and should not be displaced without failing. He also noted that Sooryavanshi is only 15 and the next World Cup is two years away, giving selectors sufficient time.
Who are the selectors who will decide on Sooryavanshi's India call-up?
The selection panel includes Ajit Agarkar, RP Singh, and Pragyan Ojha. Chopra acknowledged they will face public pressure but said they must prioritise what is best for Indian cricket in the long term.
When and where is Rajasthan Royals' next IPL 2026 match?
Rajasthan Royals face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 in New Chandigarh on Friday. Sooryavanshi, with 65 sixes this season, is expected to be a central figure in what promises to be a high-stakes contest.
