Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s IPL rise unsettles Yashasvi Jaiswal; India opener ‘rattled’ by partner’s success: ‘He’s shaken’

Ashwin feels Jaiswal's struggles are linked to Sooryavanshi's success, comparing their dynamic to the past partnership of Sehwag and Chopra in Test cricket.

Updated on: May 25, 2026, 14:40:39 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: 14 matches, 583 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal: 14 matches, 397 runs. These are the numbers of the two Rajasthan Royals openers in the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Being the senior pro and a regular in the Indian Test side, Jaiswal was expected to outperform, if not outscore, his partner. However, the narrative has been completely different. Sooryavanshi has not only lived up to the hype; he has surpassed it. The 15-year-old has outshone any other opener in the IPL, let alone his RR partner, and this, as Ravichandran Ashwin points out, has rocked Jaiswal.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi seems to have gotten under Yashasvi Jaiswal's head, says R Ashwin (AFP)

“The former India spinner feels slightly let down by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s returns. His run tally is lower than in each of the previous four IPL seasons and, even though Rajasthan Royals still have at least one more game left this season – against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Wednesday’s Eliminator – Jaiswal has plenty of catching up to do.

Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s growth ‘getting hampered’; Manjrekar warns youngster using Rohit, Inzamam as examples

And Ashwin believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rise may have played a role in it.

“It is slightly underwhelming, and I am a bit surprised by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s performance in the Rajasthan Royals team. I am a little surprised because I expected a lot from him; I have high hopes. But I just have a slight inkling of a feeling that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s display has perhaps shaken Jaiswal a bit. It has rattled him,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

The Sehwag-Chopra parallel

The Jaiswal-Sooryavanshi situation reminds Ashwin of the early 2000s when Team India debuted the opening pair of Virender Sehwag and Aakash Chopra in Tests. Chopra made 10 Test appearances for India, playing his first match against New Zealand in 2003. However, when India toured Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Chopra’s approach of holding the crease at one end went almost unnoticeable as Sehwag took the bowlers on. Ashwin can’t help but notice the similarity in the pattern.

“If you remember the opening pair of Virender Sehwag and Aakash Chopra in Test matches, Aakash Chopra used to play really well, giving good starts of 30 or 40 runs. But the sheer style and manner in which Virender Sehwag batted used to make Aakash Chopra look almost invisible. Not that he was; Aakash Chopra did a great job on that Australian tour too. But I just have a feeling that because of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fierce batting here, it has thrown Jaiswal off a little. In many games, Jaiswal got out trying to hit the ball too hard,” added Ashwin.

“I want to see Yashasvi Jaiswal bat well because he has the ability. But this time, Rajasthan Royals’ story has been about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and on the day Jofra Archer was needed, he also stepped up. But all that said, Mumbai Indians have been very, very, very, very underwhelming this season. This score was chaseable.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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