Former India opener Aakash Chopra has described Rajasthan Royals teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as a “special” talent after the 15-year-old slammed a dazzling 97 off 29 balls in the Eliminator, helping RR defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs. While Chopra praised the knock as a record-breaking statement, he also argued that an India call-up should not be rushed simply because the teenager is flying in the IPL.
Quick facts from the Eliminator
- Rajasthan Royals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs in the Eliminator.
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 97 off 29 balls with 12 sixes.
- RR posted 243/8 in the match.
- Sooryavanshi leads the Orange Cap race with 680 runs in the season.
- He missed out on the IPL record for the fastest hundred, but made the opposition bowlers look helpless.
- With 65 sixes already this season, he has surpassed Chris Gayle’s 12-year-old mark of 59 sixes in a single IPL campaign.
- Next up is the Qualifier 2 clash versus Gujarat Titans in New Chandigarh on Friday.
Sooryavanshi’s innings powered Rajasthan to their huge total of 243/8, and the manner of his batting left SRH struggling to find an answer. Chopra highlighted that the youngster’s form is impossible to ignore, calling it a rare combination of intent, impact and execution at such an early stage.
Speaking on Star Sports, Chopra said the idea of selecting Sooryavanshi for India purely on IPL performance is an exciting prospect, because the tournament is India’s top T20 platform. He stressed that the numbers and the manner of hitting demand serious attention, but added that “you don’t make changes just for the sake of it.”
Chopra’s point was simple: players are typically reshaped only when there is a clear need. He argued that if the current batting core is already performing, the team should not be disturbed merely because another batter has produced a spectacular burst of runs.
He cited Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson as the “toppers” currently setting the standards, suggesting that selectors should avoid overreacting to one big spell. Chopra warned that if India’s setup were to chase every standout IPL moment, a similar replacement cycle could reappear later when Sooryavanshi experiences a lean patch.
According to Chopra, the greater pressure would eventually fall on the selectors and the senior bowling group—Ajit Agarkar, RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha—because the next young batter tends to force the conversation. Still, he insisted the decision should be based on what is best for Indian cricket, not on urgency for the sake of headlines.
“His debut can wait”
Chopra was emphatic that Sooryavanshi’s India debut does not need to arrive immediately. With the teenager only 15, he argued there is time for development and for the youngster to keep learning without the added weight of instant expectations.
He added that the immediate story is about what Sooryavanshi is already delivering: the fearless approach, the volume of runs and the way he bends bowlers out of their plans. In Chopra’s view, the safest route is to let talent grow rather than forcing it into the next step too quickly.
Chopra also pointed to the teenager’s astonishing six-hitting record, noting that Sooryavanshi has already overtaken Chris Gayle’s 12-year-old IPL mark of 59 sixes in a single season. With 65 sixes in this campaign, Sooryavanshi’s face-off with the Gujarat Titans’ bowling unit in Qualifier 2 is set up as a mouth-watering contest.
For him, the most striking part was not only the runs but the dominance in the contest. Chopra described how bowlers generally craft plans against Sooryavanshi, and how Pat Cummins began with yorkers that initially troubled the youngster. But once Sooryavanshi settled, nothing seemed to work, and the SRH attack appeared overwhelmed.
Chopra compared the feeling to being hit by a “tsunami,” underlining that when a batter is in that kind of form, the only real option is watching as the innings snowballs. He also praised SRH’s experience in the bowling department, naming Cummins and Eshan Malinga as world-class operators and recalling that one of them is a World Cup winner.
Even with that quality on offer, Chopra said Cummins tried his best but was left without answers. He urged viewers to look beyond age and focus on the level of play, calling the innings one of the best counter-attacking knocks by an opener in a long time.
Chopra said Sooryavanshi showed complete control against a strong bowling attack, with the bowlers’ intended plans ultimately failing. That ability to execute both against pressure and when plans collapse, Chopra argued, is the signature of a special player.
What makes Sooryavanshi so destructive
Chopra then broke down the mechanics behind the power. He said it starts with Sooryavanshi’s backlift, which generates “immense power,” and that the youngster has a firm base at the crease. He also noted that Sooryavanshi often looks to strike through the straight line or to the leg side, where he can make the best use of his bottom hand.
Chopra highlighted a couple of shots that pointed to growing maturity, such as when Sooryavanshi moved over covers off a slower ball from Sakib. In those moments, he said the teenager held his shape, paused, and then unleashed—an indication that his instincts are developing quickly rather than just brute force driving the batting.
He suggested that a T20-focused upbringing can produce exactly this type of hitter, adding that fearlessness appears to be in Sooryavanshi’s DNA. Chopra said he is astonished by what the opener has achieved so far.
Looking ahead, Chopra predicted that the next few years will bring more record-chasing, especially because Sooryavanshi is carrying no baggage from other formats. He contrasted the youngster with Chris Gayle, calling Gayle a phenomenal T20 player and a legend of the game, while also noting Gayle’s success in Tests, including a triple hundred.
Chopra said Sooryavanshi’s focus has been on T20 cricket alone, which is what he always wanted. With 65 sixes already, Chopra floated the possibility of reaching 70 in the very next game, and speculated that a season could eventually produce even bigger six numbers—potentially 100 in a single IPL campaign.
