Sanjay Manjrekar, a former India batsman, criticized the Rajasthan Royals for using opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as an Impact Player in their match against the Gujarat Titans. Manjrekar believes that this decision could hinder Sooryavanshi’s development as a fielder, especially considering the potential of him making his international debut for India in the future. He highlighted the importance of a player excelling in all aspects of the game, including batting and fielding.
Manjrekar also mentioned the example of Shivam Dube, who did not bowl at all in the IPL despite being selected as an Impact Player. He emphasized the need to assess a player in all dimensions to accurately evaluate their performance. Sooryavanshi has been performing well in IPL 2026, scoring 440 runs at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 236.56.
Manjrekar’s comments raise concerns about the impact of using players as Impact Players on their overall development and performance. He believes that fielding skills are crucial for a player’s success, and not utilizing Sooryavanshi in that aspect could be a missed opportunity. As Sooryavanshi continues to showcase his talent with the bat, it will be interesting to see how his fielding abilities are tested under pressure. Published on May 12, 2026.
Follow Franchise Cricket for more IPL news.
