Rajasthan Royals (RR) teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi He grabbed the headlines once again during Qualifier 2 IPL 2026 with a brilliant shot against Gujarat Titans (GT) In New Chandigarh. While the 15-year-old’s batting has been widely praised, the special phase of the competition has also sparked debate among fans and pundits.
Ex-India all-rounder Irfan Pathan He shared his thoughts on social media after the match, sharing his thoughts on Gujarat Titans’ bowling strategy against the young batsman. His comments quickly drew attention as RR’s campaign came to an end despite another memorable performance from their dashing star.
The controversy stemmed from GT’s short ball approach against Suryavanshi during Rajasthan Royals’ innings. Gujarat’s pace trio Kagiso Rabada, Muhammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna He consistently targeted the youngster with length deliveries and bodyline bowling on the used surface.
A highlight came in the 14th minute when Rabada hit Suryavanshi on the helmet with a sharp short, forcing the batsman to undergo a mandatory concussion assessment. The pressure continued after that as Siraj also attacked the body, though the Royals key responded by pulling one for a six.
Reacting after the game, Pathan questioned the tactic and admitted he was concerned that a 15-year-old boy had been targeted in this way. Despite the challenges posed by GT’s fast bowlers, Suryavanshi once again displayed his trademark character, finding ways to counter the enemy spell and keeping Rajasthan in the contest.
“Bodyline bowling to stop 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi doesn’t sit well with me. I know he’s playing against big boys, but my dad in me doesn’t agree.” Irfan said.
15 year old Vaibhav Suryavanshi doesn’t suit me well to stop body line bowling.
I know he’s playing against the big boys, but my inner dad disagrees.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 29, 2026
Suryavanshi shines despite Rajasthan Royals’ defeat
After Rajasthan lost Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel Twice inside the opening, Suryavanshi bore the responsibility of reviving the innings. The youngster took time to adjust to the conditions before unleashing a string of attacking shots against one of the strongest bowling attacks in the competition.
There are some eye-catching shots on 96 off 47 deliveries, including a stunning straight six off a 153kph Rabada delivery. This knock helped RR post a competitive 214/6 Ravindra Jadeja and Donovan Ferreira also makes useful contributions.
However, Gujarat Titans responded brilliantly in the chase. captain Shubman Gill He took the lead with a magnificent 104 off 53 balls Sai Sudharsan GT added 58 as they chased down the target with seven wickets in hand and a place in the IPL 2026 final.
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