Rajasthan Royals cautioned over Sooryavanshi: Dravid-like mentor key this season

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has sounded a enactment of caution astir the rising hype surrounding teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi up of IPL 2026, portion besides backing the youngster to present successful what could beryllium a defining season.Speaking connected JioStar, Pathan pointed retired that the existent trial for Vaibhav volition statesman now, with teams expected to travel up with wide strategies to antagonistic his explosive batting.

“There volition beryllium challenges for Vaibhav. Teams volition travel with circumstantial plans against him. We’ve already seen however teams planned for Abhishek, and Vaibhav volition look thing similar. But I deliberation helium has the ‘dum’. He scores wherever helium plays - beryllium it U-19, India A, oregon red-ball cricket.

He’s been consistently making runs. Last season, we saw him successful conscionable 7 games. This season, he’s apt to get a afloat tally of matches, truthful determination is each accidental this could beryllium a breakout play for Vaibhav,” Pathan said.Vaibhav heads into IPL 2026 arsenic 1 of the astir talked-about young players successful the Indian Premier League. The 14-year-old grabbed headlines past play with a stunning 35-ball period against the Gujarat Titans, becoming the youngest subordinate to people a 100 successful IPL past and the fastest Indian to scope the milestone, surpassing Yusuf Pathan’s record.

His emergence has been arsenic singular successful planetary age-group cricket. Vaibhav played a match-winning sound of 175 disconnected 80 balls successful the last of the Under-19 World Cup against England, earning Player of the Match honours and guiding India to their sixth title.Despite the increasing spotlight, Pathan stressed the value of intelligence equilibrium for the youngster arsenic helium navigates the aboriginal signifier of what could beryllium a agelong career.“At the aforesaid time, it’s important for Vaibhav to not fto thing impact him mentally. It’s rather singular to deliberation he’s lone 15 and could perchance person a 20–25-year nonrecreational vocation up of him. In an epoch wherever longevity isn’t ever prioritised, Vaibhav has that opportunity. He needs to enactment mentally escaped and not autumn into the trap of reasoning things are excessively easy. Rahul Dravid’s relation past play was crucial, and having a mentor similar that astir him again volition beryllium precise important this season.

There volition decidedly beryllium plans against him - teams mightiness look to support the shot extracurricular disconnected stump, distant from his hitting arc, and usage variations to restrict him. He volition person to accommodate and flooded those challenges,” helium added.Vaibhav, who became the youngest-ever IPL subordinate astatine conscionable 14 years and 23 days aft being picked up by the

Rajasthan Royals

for Rs 1.1 crore successful the 2025 auction, is present acceptable for a afloat play with greater expectations.With Kumar Sangakkara taking implicit arsenic caput manager pursuing Rahul Dravid’s departure, and

Riyan Parag

starring the side, Rajasthan Royals volition statesman their IPL 2026 run against

Chennai Super Kings

successful Guwahati connected March 30.As the anticipation builds, each eyes volition beryllium connected Vaibhav to spot if helium tin unrecorded up to the hype and crook committedness into sustained show successful the upcoming season.