Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals’ teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has finally broken his silence on the bizarre “AI chip in bat” allegation — and did so in style, with a cheeky response that has now taken the internet by storm.After yet another record-shattering outing in IPL 2026, the 15-year-old prodigy was asked whether there was indeed some artificial assistance hidden in his willow. Smiling, Sooryavanshi replied, “Bhagwaan ne laga ke diya hai. Upar hi bola tha ki bat mein tumhare kuch laga ke de raha hoon. Ussi ka istemaal kar raha hoon [God has implanted it and told me he is putting something in my bat. I am just using that.”
The light-hearted remark, shared by Rajasthan Royals on social media, quickly went viral — much like everything the youngster seems to touch this season.WATCH: Sooryavanshi answers AI chip questionAI claim sparks buzz after stunning centuryThe unusual “AI chip” theory first surfaced after Sooryavanshi’s jaw-dropping 103 off just 37 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Pakistan-based analyst Nauman Niaz jokingly suggested the teen’s bat be tested.“Think about it… get his bat checked… he probably used an AI chip… he is unreal,” Niaz said, while also marvelling at the youngster’s technique and 360-degree strokeplay.Fastest-ever to 400: Record books rewrittenIf there were doubts, Sooryavanshi has answered them the only way he knows — with the bat. During RR’s clash against Punjab Kings, he became the fastest player in IPL history to reach 400 runs in a season, getting there in just 167 balls.He broke the long-standing mark held by Andre Russell (188 balls in 2019), leaving elite names like Abhishek Sharma, Nicholas Pooran and Glenn Maxwell behind.The milestone came during a blistering 43 off 16 balls, an innings that dismantled both Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson with fearless strokeplay.Sooryavanshi now tops the run charts (IPL 2026 Orange Cap) with 400 runs in nine matches, striking at an astonishing 238.09 with 37 sixes.
