Former India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin slammed his former IPL team, the Rajasthan Royals, for not doing enough to support Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's innings of 96 against the Gujarat Titans in the Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026 on Friday.
Sooryavanshi's innings of 96 runs from 47 balls was overshadowed by Shubman Gill's century as RR's IPL 2026 campaign came to an end. GT will now face defending champions and table toppers, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in the IPL final at Ahmedabad.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's temperament goes in vain
On a not-so-flat pitch, which still had some help for the bowlers, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi showed great temperament to play a brilliant innings even after a top-order collapse.
Ravindra Jadeja was promoted to No. 4 but had to retire hurt with an elbow injury. Jofra Archer, too, earned a surprise promotion but did not make the best of it. Sooryavanshi eventually fell in the 90s for the third time this season, and RR hit a snag.
Jadeja's return from injury was less pleasant as he scored at less than a run a ball after returning. Donovan Ferreira's impactful knock, which included four sixes against Rashid Khan in the last over, took RR past 200.
GT went about their business as if the chase of 215 was no problem at all. Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill put 167 for the first wicket. Sudharsan was dismissed hit wicket, once again, for 58.
Gill went on to make his 5th IPL century, and GT's middle order tied up the loose ends.
Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's next match: Date, tournament, live streaming and TV details revealed
"I am very sad" - Ravichandran Ashwin
In a conversation with journalist Vimal Tiwari on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said that he was very disappointed with how the rest of the Rajasthan Royals team let Sooryavanshi down. Ashwin said that Sooryavanshi's almost 800-run show in IPL 2026 deserved better.
"I am sad,” Ashwin said. “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."
“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.”
Also Read: Irfan Pathan disgusted with Ashish Nehra's tactic against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
"A 15-year-old boy should not think of winning the match for you" - Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin went on to say that the onus of getting his team home shouldn't always fall on a 15-year-old like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Ashwin went on to say that the way RR batters threw their wickets away meant that the team would have never actually won the game.
“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," he continued.
“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," Ashwin added.
"VIMAL BHAI, MAIN AAJ MAYOOS HOON" 🚨😢
— TheFakeFakeer (@TheFakeFakeer) May 29, 2026
R. Ashwin just said what we all felt about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi tonight after RR lost against GT 🥺🥺
He gave Vaibhav his flowers but also slammed the poor performance by Rajasthan Royals tonight.
They all let this kid down.
I think… pic.twitter.com/DobzhRtAOM
