Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has started off the IPL 2026 with a blistering fifty-plus knock.
There was debate around whether the teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi would be able to overcome the second-season blues after a record-breaking IPL debut in the previous edition, and the recently turned 15-year-old has once again responded with his bat to put up an explosive half-century during the Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 opener.
Following the mesmerising knock, ex-Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Aakash Chopra has opened up on three key technical aspects of the prodigy that help him to generate so much power while maintaining consistency.
The former India batter thoroughly shared the southpaw’s batting techniques that help the opener to easily smack the bowlers for sixes. Vaibhav’s backlift, placement of the bottom hand, and bat swing are the primary components behind making him a star power-hitter.
“It’s very rare that you see a batsman to first pick up the bat, then go down, and again come up and swing. He has that ability and it helps to generate a lot of power. Secondly, his back hand never stays close to the body. It’s always away from the body, which helps to use his bottom hand to hit those aerial shots,” explained Chopra on his YouTube channel.
“Another aspect is his bat swing. The bottom of his bat actually points to the covers, I’ve never seen any batter to do that. He has a lot of strength in his wrists and he swings his bat like a sword. The different method of his backlift is the main reason behind his consistent power-hitting,” he observed.
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After a 33-ball 57 against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) last year, the left-hander carried on his fierce form to score a blazing 52 off just 17 deliveries. On a difficult pitch at the Barsapara Stadium, Vaibhav’s fiery innings included four boundaries and five sixes at a blazing strike rate of 305.88, while chasing a sub-par target of just 128 runs.
Besides the IPL, the wonder kid has also proved himself in the other formats as well, representing the nation in Under-19 cricket across the globe. He has notched up remarkable centuries in England, Australia, and South Africa and has also been successful in the major multinational events like the U19 Asia Cup and the ICC U19 World Cup.
The magnificent 175-run knock off just 80 balls in the World Cup final has been a testament to Vaibhav’s attacking mindset and his ability to stay calm under pressure. Considering his exceptional talent and precision at such a young age, former CSK player Piyush Chawla has backed the player to be fast-tracked into the national T20 team.
“When he goes to the international level, he won’t be a stranger. He has already smashed 140kmph-plus bowlers. If he plays like that, would love to see him getting fast-tracked. Over the last year, in U19, domestic, India A, whatever he has played, he has scored some big hundreds,” opined Chawla in an ESPN Cricinfo show.
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