Ashwin felt the 96-run knock in Qualifier 2 was Sooryavanshi’s best of this season.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's phenomenal 96 off 47 balls went in vain as Rajasthan Royals (RR) went down against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 at Mullanpur on Friday (May 29).
Despite setting a formidable 214/6, RR couldn't defend the total as captain Shubman Gill's unbeaten 104 off 53 balls and Sai Sudarshan's 58 off 32 balls guided GT to a seven-wicket victory with eight deliveries to spare.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin mince no words as he slammed senior RR batters for 'letting down' the 15-year-old prodigy.
Sooryavanshi capped off a magnificent campaign where he claimed the Orange Cap with 776 runs in 16 innings at a staggering strike rate of 237.30, including one hundred and five half-centuries.
According to Ashwin, the knock in Qualifier 2 was Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s best of this season.
“Main mayoos hoon (I am sad). Because he played so well in IPL 2026, scoring almost 800 runs. But the high point for me was the innings he played today. Of course, he had some luck, but the wicket was helping bowlers. Bowlers who are some of the best in international cricket – Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada and Jason Holder. He got lucky against them, a catch was also dropped, but the way he changed his shots, adapted to the pitch, he deserved better,” Ashwin said.
“Rajasthan Royals were underwhelming. I know Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan batted well, but the Rajasthan Royals let down that young boy’s incredible innings. Incredible innings are not enough words to describe Vaibhav Sooryavanshi,” he added.
Ashwin also questioned RR's decision to bring Dasun Shanaka back into the playing XI and promote Jofra Archer ahead of Donovan Ferreira.
“His face went pale after the defeat. A 15-year-old boy is always thinking about winning the match for the team. But honestly, RR were never in the match from the very start after the way Yashasvi Jasiwal got out, Dhruv Jurel got out, Riyan Parag, the way he got out, Ravindra Jadeja gave him some support and Donovan Ferreira ended well,” Ashwin stated.
“Dasun Shanaka made three runs in nine balls, out of which two balls he left. Jofra Archer came out to bat before Ferreira! No one gave him support, but Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stood between RR losing and winning the game,” he remarked.
Gujarat Titans will now face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the title clash at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad on Sunday (May 31).