Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played with the RCB star in Rising Stars Asia Cup 2025.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma has made an interesting remark on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of IPL 2026. Jitesh captained him at the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2025 and doesn’t seem to be pleased with Sooryavanshi’s off-field habits.
On AB de Villiers’ YouTube channel, Jitesh exclaimed that the young Rajasthan Royals (RR) sensation is not professional off the field, and the staff around him puts a lot of effort into helping him develop his routine. The RCB player recalled he had to ask Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not to eat ice cream at night, but the batter didn’t listen.
“He’s still a baby, and he’s not professional that I can tell you. Everyone is trying to get him to be professional, but I don’t think he ever will be, at least not off the field. On the field, maybe. I’m trying my best. I ask him not to have ice cream at night, but he never listens.”
It’s worth noting that he’s just 14 and will develop more once he gains more exposure; his age is too immature to remain disciplined. However, this is not the first time Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been subjected to negative comments; earlier, Robin Uthappa warned him against playing his usual high-risk cricket in IPL 2026.
Quality-wise, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is right up there with the best talents in the cricketing community and has already grown a certain aura in a short period. However, IPL 2026 will present a unique challenge for the southpaw, who will face the most strenuous test of his career yet.
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Teams will be better prepared to tackle him and must have analysed his issues in recent times. While the flat pitches will obviously aid Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the opposition will still pose a greater threat this time, as ample data and footage are now available.
When he burst onto the scene in 2025, the southpaw was still mostly unknown, and teams didn’t exactly know where to bowl to him. Hence, he must gear up for more pre-planned bowling, and whether the batter shows evolution in skills and range will dictate his season.
The good part for Vaibhav remains his batting position: Rajasthan Royals will slot him at the top with Yashasvi Jaiswal, and he will get the powerplay to exploit with the new ball. If he aces IPL 2026, he will not only put doubts to rest but also get near the India debut, at least in the shortest format.
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