Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s sensational performances in IPL 2026 have taken the cricket world by storm. The Rajasthan Royals opener currently leads the run-scoring charts this season and continues to attract praise from fans and former cricketers across the globe. While many in India have compared the 15-year-old batting prodigy to legends like Sachin Tendulkar, former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf made headlines with a different comparison — likening Vaibhav to former Pakistan star Shahid Afridi.
Vaibhav’s explosive batting has earned admiration not only in India but also in countries like Australia and England. The teenager recently played a breathtaking knock of 97 runs off just 29 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator, further strengthening his reputation as one of the brightest young talents in world cricket.
Following that innings, Mohammad Yousuf took to X (formerly Twitter) on May 28 and wrote, “15-year-old cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reminds me of Shahid Afridi — young, fearless, explosive, full of energy. The future is here!”
However, the comparison quickly triggered strong reactions on social media. Several users criticised Yousuf for comparing Vaibhav with Afridi, especially due to the long-standing age-fraud allegations associated with the former Pakistan all-rounder. Others claimed the Rajasthan Royals batter is already a more complete player than Afridi ever was.
Some fans also brought up Afridi’s past controversies, including ball-tampering incidents, while expressing hope that Vaibhav’s career remains free from such issues. A section of social media users even called the comparison disrespectful to the young Indian batter, who has already scored 680 runs in IPL 2026 at a staggering strike rate close to 250.
