Rajasthan Royals (RR) teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi once again grabbed headlines during Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026 with a brilliant innings against Gujarat Titans (GT) in New Chandigarh. While the 15-year-old’s strokeplay earned widespread praise, a particular phase of the contest also sparked discussion among fans and experts.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan weighed in on Gujarat Titans’ bowling strategy against the young batter, sharing his views on social media after the match. His comments quickly attracted attention as RR’s campaign came to an end despite another memorable performance from their breakout star.
The discussion stemmed from GT’s short-ball approach against Suryavanshi during Rajasthan Royals’ innings. Gujarat’s pace trio of Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna consistently targeted the youngster with back-of-a-length deliveries and bodyline bowling on a used surface.
A notable moment came in the 14th over when Rabada struck Suryavanshi on the helmet with a sharp short-pitched delivery, forcing the batter to undergo a mandatory concussion assessment. The pressure continued in the following over as Siraj also attacked the body, although the Royals opener responded by pulling one away for a six.
Reacting after the game, Pathan questioned the tactic and admitted that he was uncomfortable seeing a 15-year-old being targeted in that manner. Despite the challenge posed by GT’s fast bowlers, Suryavanshi once again showcased his remarkable temperament, finding ways to counter the hostile spell and keeping Rajasthan in the contest.
“Body line bowling to stop 15 years old Vaibhav Suryavanshi doesn’t fit well with me. I know he is playing against the big boys but the father in me doesn’t agree with that,” Irfan said.
Body line bowling to stop 15 years old Vaibhav Suryavanshi doesn’t fit well with me.
I know he is playing against the big boys but the father in me doesn’t agree with that.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 29, 2026
Suryavanshi shines despite Rajasthan Royals’ defeat
After Rajasthan lost Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel inside the opening two overs, Suryavanshi carried the responsibility of rebuilding the innings. The youngster initially took time to adjust to the conditions before unleashing a series of attacking strokes against one of the strongest bowling attacks in the competition.
His innings of 96 from 47 deliveries featured several eye-catching shots, including a stunning straight six off a 153 kmph Rabada delivery. The knock helped RR post a competitive 214/6, with Ravindra Jadeja and Donovan Ferreira also making useful contributions.
However, Gujarat Titans responded brilliantly in the chase. Captain Shubman Gill led from the front with a magnificent 104 off 53 balls, while Sai Sudharsan added 58 as GT chased down the target with seven wickets in hand and booked their place in the IPL 2026 final.
