IPL 2026: Chopra on Suryavanshi's fearless batting and its risks

Aakash Chopra discusses the pros and cons of RR prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi's fearless batting ahead of IPL 2026. He warns that early dismissals and the pressure to perform, along with off-field fame, could be a significant challenge for the youngster.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra touched upon the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) Vaibhav Suryavanshi's fearless batting approach and also its drawbacks, saying that it can also create pressure for the batter, ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 edition.Following his breakout 2025 season, during which he became the youngest Indian to score a T20 century and recorded the fastest IPL hundred, Vaibhav Suryavanshi is aiming for another stellar campaign with Rajasthan Royals, fresh off his U19 World Cup triumph earlier this year. In just seven matches that he featured in the IPL 2025, Suryavanshi smashed 24 sixes and scored 252 runs at an average of 36 and an excellent strike rate of 206.55.

Fearless Batting: A Blessing and a Curse

However, Aakash Chopra, speaking on JioStar's 'IPL Today Live', has highlighted that Vaibhav Suryavanshi's fearless batting approach is both a strength and a potential risk. He noted that repeated early dismissals can create pressure, especially in the IPL, where players are constantly reminded they are paid to perform. "If the first one is there to be hit, I will go for it' is a very good philosophy. But if it happens three times that you go for the first ball and, God forbid, you don't connect properly and get out, that is when problems start. The IPL is a different beast. They may not say it in as many words, but it reminds me of my playing days in England, where if you have one or two off days back-to-back, someone would come up and say, 'Bro, time to earn your money,' because you are being paid to score runs. That thought lingers on your mind, that you are getting paid to perform, and the IPL has a similar dynamic," Aakash Chopra said.

Notably, during the IPL mega auction ahead of the 2025 season, he secured a deal worth Rs 1.1 crore with Rajasthan Royals, making him the youngest IPL player ever. In the IPL clash against the Gujarat Titans, at the age of 14, Suryavanshi became the youngest T20 centurion and the first Indian to hit the fastest IPL fifty. Aakash Chopra also mentioned Suryavanshi's previous exposure under Rahul Dravid and said this season carries high expectations, making it a significant challenge for the young batsman. "He got some exposure last year, when Rahul Dravid was there as well, and you could see tears in his eyes after getting out in one of the games. This time, there are expectations, and he will carry that burden. Even we are talking about him, saying that Vaibhav Suryavanshi will come and score runs, so in that regard, it is a huge season for him," Chopra added.

Navigating Off-Field Fame

Aakash Chopra explained that the IPL exposes players to intense fame and attention, fans, photos, ads, and media, which is unlike playing for state or national teams. He said that while players are trained to perform on the field, they aren't prepared for these off-field pressures and managing this constant spotlight over the eight- to nine-week IPL season can be overwhelming and requires careful handling. "What is truly unique about the IPL is something you don't experience when playing for your state, or even for India, because there you are surrounded by established superstars you can learn from, whereas here everything feels larger than life. For instance, at a franchise like Rajasthan Royals, he might already be the central figure in ad campaigns and shoots, and that can make him feel, 'I am important.' It is not temptation, it is simply something you are constantly exposed to, fans, autographs, photos, selfies, and being at the centre of everything," he said.

"The challenge is that players are never really trained to deal with all this. They are trained to play cricket, how to face the ball and handle pressure on the field, but not how to manage these distractions. During the IPL's eight to nine-week window, this becomes constant and can be overwhelming, so it needs to be handled very carefully," Aakash Chopra said. (ANI)

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