Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PTI Photo)

With the Indian Premier League 2026 set to begin in just six days, all eyes are once again on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The Rajasthan Royals prodigy, who turns 15 this Friday, returns after a spectacular debut last year when he smashed a 35-ball century against Gujarat Giants, leaving fans and bowlers stunned. That innings made him the youngest centurion in IPL history and the fastest Indian to reach three figures, surpassing Yusuf Pathan’s record.Sooryavanshi’s rise has been meteoric. During the IPL mega auction for the 2025 season, he secured a deal worth Rs 1.1 crore with Rajasthan Royals, making him the youngest player ever to be signed. Over the past year, he has dominated across continents, scoring centuries in Australia, South Africa, and England. His crowning moment came in the Under-19 World Cup final against England, where he scored a match-winning 175 off just 80 balls, including 15 fours and six sixes each. His 55-ball century is among the fastest in Under-19 World Cup history, helping India lift the trophy for a sixth time.But as IPL 2026 approaches, Sooryavanshi faces new challenges. Bowlers are believed to have studied his game and will look to expose weaknesses. His talent is unquestionable, and many see him as a potential trailblazer and future legend. Yet, not everyone is convinced about his professional approach.On AB de Villiers’ YouTube channel, Jitesh Sharma, who captained Sooryavanshi during India A’s Asia Cup campaign last year, praised the youngster’s skill but expressed doubts about his off-field habits. “Right now, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. I feel he can dominate world cricket. He has gear No. 6 and a very good set of skills,” Sharma said when asked which youngster he would invest in.De Villiers, who watched Sooryavanshi’s 175-run masterclass in the Under-19 World Cup final, was full of admiration. “He’s a great player. I watched him in the Under-19s. It’s not always easy when you get the taste of IPL and big cricket, and still show the same kind of standard. I was very impressed with the way he played in that World Cup. Very professional. He’s very mature for his age,” said the former South African captain.De Villiers added that Sooryavanshi stayed true to his game plan, replicating the approach he used in the IPL, without arrogance or trying to be someone else. “But he will get professional,” he said.Sharma, however, was more sceptical. “He’s not professional. I can tell you that. Everyone is trying to get him to be professional, but I don’t think he will ever get professional. He may be on the field, but off the field, he won’t. I’m trying my best. I ask him not to have ice-cream in the night,” he added.

Hardik Pandya at ‘MI MIX’ fan event on Sunday. (Pic credit: MI’s X post)

MUMBAI: The cricketing fraternity, today, acknowledges Hardik Pandya as one of the finest white-ball allrounders in the game, but when Mumbai Indians first spotted him in domestic cricket, he was just a hardworking youngster from Baroda, who only knew how to bat. Recounting his journey at a fireside chat with MI batting coach Kieron Pollard during the ‘MI MIX’ fan event at Jio World Garden on Sunday, Pandya said his rise was shaped by hard work and MI’s sharp scouting system.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Before I played for Mumbai Indians, I was just a pure batter for 17-19 years. The only thing I knew was hard work — if someone told me to run 12 rounds, I would run 15,” Pandya said, recalling his early days in domestic cricket.The turning point came during a Ranji Trophy match when MI scouts noticed him — almost by chance. “I was playing a Ranji game, and the scouts had not even come to watch me. That’s the beauty of the Mumbai Indians’ scouting system. They identified something special even when they were not there specifically for me. That shows the strength of their system,” he said.Pandya joined MI in 2015 as a young prospect and gradually transformed himself into a match-winning allrounder. The 32-year-old admitted that the transition from a pure batter to an allrounder was not an easy one and required him to adapt significantly, especially in terms of fitness and body management.“I had to adapt. I had no idea how to look after my body or what it takes to be an allrounder. The only thing I knew was to work hard, and that helped me come out of difficult phases,” he said, urging young cricketers to be disciplined.Now set to lead Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026 for the third year in-a-row, Pandya made his ambitions clear — win a sixth Indian Premier League (IPL) title for the franchise.“My ultimate dream is to win the IPL for the sixth time for MI. The franchise already has an amazing legacy, but I want us to play the best cricket Mumbai Indians have ever played and win as many trophies as possible,” he said drawing loud cheers from fans, who he praised for their unconditional support through good times and bad.Pollard, who has watched Pandya’s journey from close quarters, credited him for inspiring the next generation of players at MI. “The bravery and youthful exuberance of the young players excite me. When Hardik came into the setup, he worked hard and produced results on the field. The next generation is seeing that and coming in fearless — that’s what Mumbai Indians are all about,” Pollard said.

The future of MS Dhoni in the IPL has once again become a major talking point after former India cricketer Robin Uthappa suggested that IPL 2026 could mark the end of Dhoni’s illustrious career with Chennai Super Kings. Speaking on JioHotstar’s TATA IPL: Out or Out of the Park, Uthappa offered a detailed perspective on Dhoni’s evolving role, leadership transition within CSK, and what the upcoming season could mean for the franchise icon.According to Uthappa, Dhoni’s role in the upcoming season is expected to evolve significantly. Rather than being a central on-field figure, he could take a step back and operate more as a guide for Ruturaj as Captain.“I don’t think CSK should hand over the leadership duties to Sanju Samson. You have to give Ruturaj Gaikwad time to settle as captain. He has been leading the team since 2024. No matter what people say, he is coming out of the shadow of MS Dhoni. You want him to come out completely and stand in his own light. You want to see what he can produce. You want him to lead the team when MS is not playing and stand on his own, without that overwhelming feeling of always being under that energy. So I think you can see Dhoni being a little more hands-off,” Uthappa said Uthappa made a bold and emotional prediction about Dhoni’s future, indicating that the 2026 season could be his farewell. The statement has immediately sparked conversations among fans, as Dhoni, one of the greatest captains in IPL history edges closer to the final phase of his playing career.“IPL 2026 is likely to be his last year in the yellow jersey. I see him playing more of a mentor-cum-player role this year. I don’t see him batting at number seven. I see him batting at number eight. Knowing that he is on his way out, he wants to wean himself out. I think he will do that. Only then will we see the true potential of Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain. Give him a few years. If it doesn’t work, you always have Sanju Samson in the team to handle the captaincy duties.” Robin on dhoni’s role in CSK

MS Dhoni in IPL 2025

MS Dhoni’s IPL 2025 season was a mix of evolving responsibility, flashes of brilliance, and growing questions about his role in a transitioning Chennai Super Kings setup. Dhoni entered IPL 2025 primarily as a finisher and wicketkeeper, with reduced batting responsibility compared to his prime years. However, his role changed mid-season when captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out due to injury, forcing Dhoni to step back into leadership duties.As captain, Dhoni was responsible for guiding a struggling CSK side through a difficult campaign, balancing leadership with his limited batting role lower down the order. Dhoni mostly batted in the lower order (No. 7 or below), often coming in during the final overs. His role was not to build innings but to provide quick cameos and finish games.

Wicketkeeping Excellence Continues

Even at 43, Dhoni continued to shine behind the stumps. He achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first wicketkeeper to reach 200 dismissals in IPL history, reinforcing his legacy as one of the greatest keepers in the league. However, with the inclusion of Sanju Samson wicket-keeping duties might be handed over to him.

NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) continue to face the injury woes in their pace bowling as India pacer Akash Deep was ruled out of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), Cricbuzz reported on Saturday.Akash Deep has not reported for the Kolkata Knight Riders camp, which has been underway in Kolkata since March 18, as per the Circbuzz report.Earlier, Harshit Rana was also ruled out of the season due to the injury that he had sustained during a warm-up match ahead of the recently concluded T20 World Cup.Meanwhile, pacer Matheesha Pathirana is expected to miss the early stages for the KKR.

Speaking at KKR’s pre-season press conference, Abhishek Nayar stated that Pathirana is undergoing rehab with the Sri Lankan Cricket Board and is expected to be match fit around mid-April.“The latest update that we know is he’s obviously with the Sri Lankan cricket board and they took out his rehab. And the latest communication that we’ve had is, hopefully, somewhere mid-April is when they feel he’ll be match fit. That’s what we know as of now,” he said.Earlier, Bangladesh left-armer pacer Mustafizur Rahman was also released by the KKR following BCCI directives amid heightened India-Bangladesh tensions. The issue escalated to the extent that Bangladesh pulled out of the T20 World Cup refusing to play in India, with Scotland coming in as replacement.KKR are set to kick their IPL 2026 campaign off against the Mumbai Indians on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The three-time champions will then face Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 2 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, before facing off against last year’s finalists, Punjab Kings, on April 6, also at Eden Gardens.In their fourth IPL match, KKR will face Lucknow Super Giants on April 9 at Eden Gardens.