Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Hits Back at ‘AI Bat’ Jokes After Stunning PBKS Win

The Rise of a Teenage Phenomenon: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

The TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has officially crossed its halfway mark, and while the league is always known for producing stars, it is currently being ruled by a 15-year-old sensation. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has become the name on everyone’s lips, not just for his age, but for a level of dominance rarely seen in the history of the competition. Leading the charts as the top run-scorer with a staggering 400 runs, Sooryavanshi is proving that age is truly just a number when talent takes center stage.

Having already etched his name in the history books last season as the youngest ever cricketer to score an IPL century, Vaibhav has returned this year with an even more lethal appetite for runs. The southpaw has displayed a brand of aggressive batting that has left bowlers across the league searching for answers.

A Bat Speed Like No Other

The defining moment of his season so far came during a clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), where Vaibhav produced a batting masterclass that felt like it was from a different era. He smashed a brilliant 36-ball hundred, an innings characterized by sheer brutality and precision. In that whirlwind knock, he launched 12 massive sixes and found the boundary five times.

Cricket pundits and analysts are now claiming that nobody in world cricket currently possesses a faster bat speed than Vaibhav. His ability to clear the ropes against the world’s most elite bowlers has been a highlight reel in itself. Whether it is the pinpoint accuracy of Jasprit Bumrah, the bounce of Josh Hazlewood, or the pace of Pat Cummins, Vaibhav has shown no fear, even smacking first-ball sixes against these legendary names.

The ‘AI Bat’ Controversy and a Hilarious Response

When a player performs at a level that seems almost superhuman, it often leads to skepticism—or in this case, some very creative theories. Watching the teenager’s demolition of the SRH bowling attack, Pakistan cricket analyst Nauman Niaz took to social media with a peculiar accusation. Niaz jokingly suggested that Sooryavanshi might have installed an AI chip in his bat to artificially increase its power.

While the comment was likely a backhanded compliment to his incredible power-hitting, it sparked a wave of memes and discussions across the cricketing world. For a few days, the ‘AI bat’ became a running joke among fans.

Vaibhav, however, waited for the perfect moment to respond. After another explosive performance last night—scoring 43 runs off just 13 balls to propel Rajasthan Royals (RR) to a victory over the Punjab Kings (PBKS)—the young star shared his thoughts in a video posted by the Rajasthan Royals on X.

With a smile and a touch of humility, Vaibhav replied: “Bhagwan ne laga ke diya hai. Upar he bola tha ki bat mein tumhare kuch laga ke de raha hu, ussi ka istemal kar raha hu” (God has put something in it. He had already said from above that I’m giving you something in your bat — I’m just using that).

The Lethal Left-Hand Duo: Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi

Beyond the individual brilliance, the partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has become a nightmare for opposition captains. The two left-handed openers have developed a telepathic understanding, firing on all cylinders from the very first delivery. In their most recent outing against PBKS, the duo brought up a 50-run partnership in just three overs, effectively killing the contest before the powerplay had even ended.

Speaking after the match, Jaiswal couldn’t hide his admiration for his young partner. “Of course, it’s amazing. I really enjoyed batting with him and he’s playing amazing,” Jaiswal remarked. When asked about the age gap and being the ‘senior’ in the partnership, Jaiswal laughed it off, stating, “I’m older. I’m still very young, but of course, the way he is and he’s quite young. So, I don’t know what to say about it, to be honest.”