NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals’ teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has finally addressed the strange “AI chip in the bat” rumour — and did it with a playful line that has quickly become a hit online. The 15-year-old, fresh off yet another eye-catching IPL 2026 performance, was asked directly whether there was artificial help hidden inside his willow. With a grin, he answered: “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].”
From viral quip to record-breaking form
- After another record-shattering display in IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi was questioned about the alleged “AI assistance” in his bat.
- He responded in a cheeky, light-hearted way, saying he was simply using what “God” had put into the bat, which Rajasthan Royals then shared on social media.
- The reply caught fire online, spreading rapidly—mirroring the buzz around Sooryavanshi’s astonishing run in the tournament.
The “AI chip” chatter originally gained traction following Sooryavanshi’s jaw-dropping knock of 103 off 37 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad. That innings sparked fresh speculation, with Pakistan-based analyst Nauman Niaz taking the idea further—joking that the bat should be examined for any technological trickery.
What Nauman Niaz said
Niaz suggested the bat be checked, adding that the teenager looked “unreal,” while also highlighting how explosive the youngster’s technique and all-round, 360-degree strokeplay appeared.
However, any lingering doubts were answered the only way Sooryavanshi knows—by piling on runs. In Rajasthan Royals’ match against Punjab Kings, he became the quickest batter in IPL history to reach 400 runs in a single season, doing it in just 167 deliveries.
That landmark surpassed the previous fastest mark held by Andre Russell, who had reached 400 in 188 balls during 2019. It also left behind several high-profile names—Abhishek Sharma, Nicholas Pooran and Glenn Maxwell—who had been associated with elite scoring pace in recent IPL seasons.
The route to the milestone included a brutal spell at the crease: Sooryavanshi struck 43 runs off 16 balls, with his fearless hitting helping dismantle Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson during the same surge.
With the latest numbers, Sooryavanshi now sits at the top of the run tally for IPL 2026 (Orange Cap), having amassed 400 runs in nine matches. He is striking at an astonishing 238.09 and has already cleared the ropes 37 times with sixes.
