Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan lavished praise on 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the impact he made for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Sooryavanshi, who is the youngest player featuring in the cash-rich league, has smashed 656 runs in 17 matches of the two seasons of the tournament, including two centuries and three half-centuries.

Ahead of RR's upcoming IPL 2026 clash against GT, Pathan recalled Sooryavanshi's performance against the Gujarat-based franchise in the last edition of the tournament. Notably, Sooryavanshi smashed his maiden IPL ton against GT in IPL 2025, the destructive batter smashed his century in just 35 balls.

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Irfan Pathan's warning to GT

RR are set to take on the Gujarat Titans at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on May 9, and Pathan believes all eyes will once again be on the young batter. Pathan said that knock is still fresh in people’s minds, and the youngster could do something special again.

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"There will be memories of that knock against GT last season, both for our 'Fearless Prodigy' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the GT bowlers, because it was so unexpected-a teenager taking on the best when his team was struggling to win games," Jiostar expert Irfan Pathan said ahead of IPL 2026 Revenge Week.

"This time, though, the tables have turned. RR have managed to hold on to a spot in the top four, while GT are slowly gathering momentum. 400 runs at a strike-rate of 230 is outrageous for the youngster in the season so far and it will be interesting to see if RR's young core fires again on what look like flat wickets in Jaipur," he added.

Pathan also pointed out how impressive Sooryavanshi has been this season. Scoring around 400 runs at a strike rate of 230 at such a young age is remarkable, and it shows how confident he is at the top level. He added that with the pitches in Jaipur likely to be good for batting, RR’s young players could once again make a big impact.

GT vs RR IPL 2026 match result

This will be the second time that RR and GT will lock horns against each other in the ongoing edition of the tournament. Earlier during their last outing, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel scored quick half-centuries, while Sooryavanshi added a handy cameo to help RR post 210/6.

GT fought back well in the chase, with Sai Sudharsan leading the way with 73 off 44 balls. Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada tried to take the game deep, but RR held their nerve in the final over, with Tushar Deshpande successfully defending 11 runs as GT finished on 204/8.

RR and GT's performance in IPL 2026

So far this season, Rajasthan Royals have won six out of their 10 matches and lost four. They are coming into this game after a defeat against the Delhi Capitals. Gujarat Titans also have six wins and four losses, but their net run rate is slightly lower than RR’s.


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