3 min readMay 30, 2026 05:33 PM IST
Former India allrounder Irfan Pathan expressed concern about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the 15-year-old was hit flush on his helmet by Gujarat Titans bowler Kagiso Rabada during the Indian Premier League Qualifier 2 at Mullanpur. Pathan said that watching Sooryavanshi bat reminded him of his son and as soon as the ball hit Sooryavanshi’s helmet, the allrounder’s thoughts immediately went to the tragedy of Philip Hughes.
On November 25, 2014, a day that sent shockwaves across the cricketing globe, the 25-year-old Hughes was batting for South Australia when he was struck on the neck during a Sheffield Shield match. Hughes passed away on November 27, three days short of his 26th birthday, due to a rare cerebral haemorrhage.
“Watching vaibhav suryavanshi bat is like watching my son bat. Seeing him hit on head made me worried n my thought went to Philip Hughes. Ofocurse if you play at this level you will be tested. Nothing wrong in that. Teams will plan against him. Sure. I can only wish well for this marvellous young kid. IT DOESNT FIT WELL WITH ME. (That was clear msg),” Pathan wrote on X on Saturday.
Watching vaibhav suryavanshi bat is like watching my son bat. Seeing him hit on head made me worried n my thought went to Philip Hughes.
Ofocurse if you play at this level you will be tested. Nothing wrong in that. Teams will plan against him. Sure.
I can only wish well for…
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 30, 2026
Pathan had also posted during the match that it doesn’t fit well for him when bowlers resorted to body line bowling to stop the 15-year-old. “Body line bowling to stop 15 years old Vaibhav Suryavanshi doesn’t fit well with me. I know he is playing against the big boys but the father in me doesn’t agree with that,” Pathan had posted.
In the match, Shubman Gill scored a scintillating 104 as Gujarat Titans crushed Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to make the final of the Indian Premier League on Friday. Chasing 215, the 2022 champions rode on Gill’s 53-ball 104 with three sixes and 15 fours to qualify for the final, responding with 219 for three in 18.4 overs. Gill anchored GT’s chase with a 167-run stand for the opening wicket with Sai Sudharsan, who fell for 58 off 32 balls.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals had scored 214 for six riding on a brilliant 96 from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and a quickfire 38 not out from Donovan Ferreira.
