Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra and Mohammad Kaif discussed whether Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s bat really has AI in it. This comes after Sooryavanshi’s brilliant performance in the ongoing IPL 2026 for the Rajasthan Royals.
The 15-year-old wonderkid has smashed 486 runs in 12 games with one century and 2 fifties at a strike rate of 134.78. He has hit 43 fours and 43 sixes in the IPL 2026 alone.
When Nauman Niaz of Pakistan questioned whether Sooryavanshi's bat contained an AI chip last month, the young player responded harshly. A few days later, self-described Sooryavanshi enthusiast Jos Buttler disclosed that he had emailed Jofra Archer to inquire as to whether the teenager was genuinely an artificial intelligence product.
Recently, Aakash Chopra and Mohammad Kaif discussed Sooryavanshi and AI on a Star Sports show, hosted by Jatin Sapru.
“Does Vaibhav Sooryavanshi have an AI chip in his bat?” Sapru asked, triggering hilarious yet stern reactions from the two former cricketers.
“If you can ask such a question, then the answer is yes. The thing about AI is that we don’t know where it can go. We think there’s a ceiling, but five years later, we realise it has gone even further. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is that AI model. We saw Sachin Tendulkar play at 15 too, and we know how far he went. But the way this kid has started, I genuinely have no idea how far he can go. That’s why I call him AI.” Chopra said on Star Sports’ ‘Out or Not Out’ show.
Kaif became more sombre, pleading with critics to give the young man his roses for his accomplishments in such a short time. Sooryavanshi is the youngest batter to hit a T20 and IPL century, has the second and third fastest centuries in IPL to his name, and has already scored centuries in three of the four SENA nations.
This includes the match-winning 175 for India against England in the final of the U19 World Cup.
“What advantage does it add to the bat? Let’s assume there is an AI chip in it — even then, can someone guarantee a hundred? If they can, I’ll quit commentary. Broaden the bat, make it longer, do whatever you want, but if someone bats this well, you still have to respect the skill. The bat has no role to play here. It’s all about the skill set. He has been batting since the age of seven and has worked hard to improve his skills. I fold my hands. Please give the boy credit. He’s playing brilliantly and dominating attacks,” pointed out Kaif.
