Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Wonder kid, batting sensation, pocket dynamite, future star, teen sensation—commentators are now running out of words to describe 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He has become a nightmare for every bowler, including some of the top-ranked ones, whenever he walks out to bat. His fearless approach and ability to launch into attack from the very first ball have made him the most talked-about young cricketer in recent times.In a recent IPL 2026 outing against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sooryavanshi smashed 103 off 37 balls, registering his second century of his IPL career.With the young batter drawing praise from all corners for his explosive batting display, Pakistan’s cricket expert Nauman Niaz humorously suggested that the youngster might be using an AI chip in his bat to generate power.“Think about it. What is this kid? Get his bat checked. Like WADA conducts dope tests, send him to a lab. He probably used an AI chip in his bat. He is unreal,” Niaz said.“What a player. I did get a feeling he was playing a tad slow. This made me think, what is this guy? When you’re 18, your body builds muscle, biceps, and triceps. This one is just 16. He was born when Virat Kohli was a world champion. He doesn’t have the power game as much as he has technique. He is a wristy player, plus, if you look at this arc, he used the full 360 degree,” Niaz added.Sooryavanshi is currently the second-highest run-getter in IPL 2026 so far, and the highest for Rajasthan Royals. He has scored 357 runs in 8 matches at an average of 44.62, striking at an astonishing 234.87 in the tournament so far.After a magnificent ICC Under-19 World Cup campaign – where he produced a historic, record-breaking knock of 175 off just 80 balls for India against England in the 2026 ICC U19 World Cup final, helping India secure their 6th U19 title – Sooryavanshi has taken IPL 2026 by storm.
