Former Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes it would be difficult for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to repeat IPL success in English conditions. Sooryavanshi was able to hog the limelight in IPL 2026, scoring 776 runs in 16 matches of the season at a blistering strike rate of 237.30 for the Rajasthan Royals. Furthermore, the youngster scored a smashing knock of 94 runs off 29 balls in the tri series final against Sri Lanka A.
However, there will be more swing for the new ball bowlers in the English conditions, which could make life difficult for Sooryavanshi. Pujara said Sooryavanshi will have to wait for his opportunity in the playing XI as the team might give him a chance while rotating players.
“There is a lot of hype around him, and as a young player, he shouldn’t be focusing on what is being said about him. I think it is important to keep the outside noise away from him, and the best way to do it is to just focus on the game. I don’t think he will get an opportunity straight up,” Cheteshwar Pujara said on Star Sports.
Pujara said India would continue to back the top three batters – Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan.
“The Indian team would not want to change their top three, and I don’t think Vaibhav will get his opportunity in the first 2 or 3 games. Once the Indian team starts doing well, whenever there is an opportunity in rotation, that is when Vaibhav will come in to the playing XI. What he has done in the IPL, it won’t be easy to replicate the same thing in English conditions,” he added.
On the other hand, former England off-spinner Graeme Swann is hopeful that Sooryavanshi gets his chance in the T20I series.
“He is the most exciting player in world cricket at the moment, and I hope he gets the chance to play. I’m not sure you can prepare for a player like Suryavanshi, to be honest, because he is so new to the game. Luckily he has played in the IPL, so there is video footage, and some of the England bowlers would have bowled against him as well. No one has had any success against him so far, he’s proved to be almost unplayable,” Graeme Swann said.
The first T20I between India and England will be played on Wednesday.
