Kamal Ghorui
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes all eyes will be on young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi when Rajasthan Royals take on Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2026 clash in Ahmedabad on Saturday, April 4. Sooryavanshi lit up the tournament opener with a breathtaking 17-ball 52, powering Rajasthan Royals to a dominant eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings. His fearless strokeplay has already made him one of the most talked-about players this season, but Chopra believes opposition bowlers will come prepared with specific plans to counter him. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra suggested that Gujarat’s bowlers are likely to test the youngster with short-pitched deliveries and wider lines. “All eyes stop on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as to how this guy will play. He will be tested. The way he swings his bat, bouncers will definitely be bowled against him. I think bouncers will be a threat,” Chopra said. He further explained that bowlers could look to exploit areas outside off stump as well. “After that, they might bowl slightly wide to him, asking him to hit sixes over cover. He doesn’t hit sixes over cover. There are chances of him getting caught at deep cover. So bowling can be done in two areas,” he added. Chopra also felt that Rajasthan Royals are unlikely to tinker with a winning combination after their clinical start to the season. Having bowled out Chennai Super Kings for just 127 and chasing the target with 47 balls to spare, RR appear well-settled. “This team doesn’t have many questions. The last match was a perfect game. They stopped Chennai at 127 and won easily. So I don’t think there is scope for too many changes,” he observed. Turning his attention to Gujarat Titans, Chopra emphasised the importance of their top order delivering consistently. He highlighted the roles of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, stressing that the trio must replicate their previous performances. “The top three will have to score runs again. All three of them are absolutely outstanding. So you expect them to do what they did last season, but what about Nos. 4 to 6? Spin will be bowled against Glenn Phillips, whether it’s Ravindra Jadeja or Ravi Bishnoi,” he said. Chopra also raised questions about Gujarat’s middle order and team balance, suggesting a potential rethink in personnel. He wondered whether Kumar Kushagra could replace Shahrukh Khan, while also pointing out the latter’s underwhelming returns in recent years. “Then Washington Sundar and Shahrukh Khan. Maybe think about Kumar Kushagra. I was checking the total money Shahrukh Khan has got in the last five years. Money is not a problem, but the performance hasn’t been great. He is still playing,” Chopra observed. On the bowling front, Chopra questioned whether Kagiso Rabada might make way for Jason Holder after an expensive outing, while also suggesting better utilisation of Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj. “Kagiso Rabada was expensive in the last match. Will you think about Jason Holder because you bought him for so much money? Can you bowl Prasidh Krishna slightly earlier? Can you bowl Mohammed Siraj till the end?” he elaborated. Finally, Chopra pointed out that Ashok Sharma will also be under the spotlight. The pacer, who was part of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025 but not retained, now faces his former side in what could be a closely watched subplot in the contest.
