Rajasthan Royals' (RR) 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been heavily scrutinized for exclusively playing as an 'Impact Player' in IPL 2026, which means that he has only batted during the games and not fielded at all.
While his explosive numbers—579 runs in 13 matches at an average of 44.53 and a strike rate of 236.32—are remarkable, former cricketers like Sanjay Manjrekar and Mohammad Kaif have raised concerns about this restricted role.
Manjrekar argued that keeping Sooryavanshi on the bench during fielding halves deprives him of valuable match pressure and specialist fielding experience, Kaif highlighted that the teenager "hasn't taken a catch this IPL season."
On the eve of their last league stage match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium, RR assistant coach Trevor Penny defended the decision to use Sooryavanshi as an 'Impact Player' to maximize his batting freshness and team flexibility.
Penny emphasized that Sooryavanshi is a highly capable fielder with great hands and anticipation, dismissing claims that he is omitted from the field due to poor fielding skills.
“So, he is a very good fielder. He's got great hands. He moves well. He dives. He anticipates. He's got all that. It's just the way it's worked out. And sometimes with him opening the batting, him going in in the second innings being fresh, it's worked for us.
“So, there's no specific reason why, 'oh, he's a bad fielder, we're not playing him in the field.' So, it's nothing to do with that. It's just circumstances. And sometimes there was a slightly, maybe better fielder or more experienced fielder. But generally, it's been to keep him fresh for his batting,” Penny said in a pre-match press conference.
Penny insisted that Sooryanshi's running between the wickets is completely fine, though his explosive batting style often diminishes the need for it.
"But he doesn't really have to run between the wickets too much, does he? It's just about a break. I think he can if he has to. You saw in the last game, he had 10 of 11 balls. And he was so determined to win that game. That's why he didn't go in and just try and hit from Ball One," the RR assistant coach stated.
Penny praised Sooryavanshi for living in his "own little bubble," focusing purely on practicing hard and enjoying himself on the field without being affected by outside noise.
"I'm sure he's very excited (to play at the Wankhede Stadium for the first time). We don't have to talk to him much. He's just such a pleasant boy, he's very confident, he's just so excited every day to go and play and practice. So, to be honest, we don't really have to talk to him too much. He's just in his little bubble, he practices hard, and then when he goes out to play, he just enjoys himself. So, it's pretty rare that I've ever seen that. So, I've been in cricket for 40 years and I haven't seen that before. So, long may that last, and I certainly hope that it works tomorrow."
When asked how the RR coaching staff is protecting Sooryavanshi from the hype surrounding him, Penny replied: "We've got a really good team, managerial staff, support staff, that are looking after him. He's very young and the nights are long and that sort of stuff. So, we look after him in the evenings, make sure he practices accordingly, and look after all those small things which you have to do with a young boy. But he's pretty freaky in a way, how he's dealing with it all."
RR pacer Jofra Archer’s decision to prioritize the IPL over the first Test against New Zealand has sparked backlash from English pundits regarding his central contract.
Penny revealed Archer has not let the criticism affect his routine with the Royals. "Yeah, I've read some of those articles. It's quite weird because it's a big tournament. Everybody knows IPL is the thing to come to as well. So, if he misses one game for England, then so be it for him. I think that's how he's thinking. But, I don't think it bothers him. I think maybe he'd be a bit annoyed, but I can't answer for him on that. But, he's just getting on as normal. He's hardly even mentioned it. Guys haven't even spoken about it. But, yeah, it is what it is. You either come and choose here and then annoy people there or you leave here early and then you're in trouble of never coming back to the IPL."
Rajasthan Royals face a must-win situation against Mumbai Indians to guarantee a playoff spot. The team is nervously awaiting fitness clearance for captain Riyan Parag (hamstring and shoulder injury) and senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (elbow injury), both of whom are "looking good" to feature in the final league game.
“Yes, they've got niggles. We're going to test (them) today. It's a practice to see if we can pick them for tomorrow. I can't say much more than that. Not really on the selection panel. But they're looking good. Obviously, there are niggles there,” Penny remarked.
