Former India keeper-batsman Robin Uthappa claimed that young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi will perform brilliantly in the upcoming Indian Premier League season. According to Uthappa’s prediction, the emerging batsman will have to struggle to score runs in IPL 2026.
Be it IPL or Under-19 Team India, wherever Vaibhav Suryavanshi went, he returned with a lot of records. Recently in a television show, Uthappa claimed that the number of runs the batsman has scored could be due to luck.
Robin Uthappa predicts that Vaibhav Suryavanshi will learn a lot in the IPL 2026 season
The former cricketer said that he watched every possible match of the opener last year and felt that Suryavanshi had got a lot of luck. As the standards are going to rise in the coming days, and every other team and bowler keeps an eye on his batting style, the Bihar-born player could get a good lesson in the IPL 2026 season when he plays for Rajasthan Royals.
“I have been watching carefully every game played by Vaibhav in the last 12 months. He is phenomenal. But if you are watching him bat, I think he is riding his luck a bit. And when the standard gets a bit higher, it becomes a bit difficult, and people now know where to bowl to him,” Uthappa said on Star Sports.
“The novelty has worn off. I think right now, he’s a little bit down on his luck, which is OK. I think this season will be educational for him and will serve him well in the long run. He’ll still score runs, but I don’t think he’ll be like he was last year,” he said.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi maintained his form in the Under-19 ICC ODI World Cup also.
Contrary to Robin Uthappa’s predictions, recent figures are pointing towards a completely different scenario. The left-handed top-order batsman scored 252 runs with one century and one half-century in seven matches for Rajasthan Royals last season at an average of 36 and a strike rate of 206.55, breaking several records in IPL history.
This batting sensation also recently won the Under-19 ICC ODI World Cup title. In the final match of the tournament, he scored 175 off just 80 balls against England in Harare, leading India to a 100-run win and their sixth U19 title. His brilliant innings was adorned with 15 sixes and 15 fours.
Irfan Pathan opposes Robin Uthappa’s prediction on Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Uthappa’s former teammate Irfan Pathan had a different opinion. Pathan feels that Vaibhav Suryavanshi will continue his fiery form in the IPL 2026 season as well.
“Even after the IPL, wherever you play, you maintain the same performance and that’s where he gives me a lot of confidence. If it was up and down here, I would have been scared. I really think he can score at least another quick half-century or even a century”, Irfan Pathan said.
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