Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has backed Yashasvi Jaiswal amid his lean patch with the bat in IPL 2026. The cricketer-turned-commentator said that the left-hander will make a strong comeback while justifying that he is playing the second fiddle amid Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s peak form.
The statement came as Jaiswal scored a run-a-ball 29 in the same match where Suryavanshi slammed 97 off 29 deliveries against SunRisers Hyderabad in 2026 Eliminator.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said:
“Jaiswal was one such player who used to dominate. What Vaibhav is doing, Jaiswal used to do. Yes, he didn’t use to hit so many sixes but had a higher striker rate and used to hit boundaries. He has gotten behind that phase. He’s a strong player and would make a comeback.
“Someone is doing his work, and that too 50 times better, so that’s the difference. He’s figuring out how to go ahead with him. He’s playing a second fiddle. I think he’s an excellent player.”
Notably, Jaiswal has scored 426 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 153.23, including three half-centuries in 2026. Having said that, the southpaw has managed 120 runs in his last seven innings with best score of 43.
“This guy took 193 deliveries fewer” – Mohammad Kaif rates Vaibhav Suryavanshi over Chris Gayle after most sixes record in an IPL season
Mohammad Kaif further pointed out that Vaibhav Suryavanshi took 193 fewer deliveries than Chris Gayle (59 sixes) to break the record for most sixes in a season. That came as the youngster slammed 12 maximums to extend his tally to 65 in IPL 2026. On this, the 2008 IPL champion said:
“Chris Gayle never used to hit the first ball for six. Since the ball moves around in Bengaluru for the first few overs, he has left several deliveries. This player, he hits sixes first ball. Gayle took 450 balls; this guy took 193 deliveries fewer to break the record.”
Kaif further credited former RR head coach Rahul Dravid for giving Vaibhav Suryavanshi the chance to make his debut in IPL 2025, stressing that many players warm the bench for years. The 45-year-old concluded:
“The credit should go to Rahul Dravid. When Sanju Samson got injured, he played him last year. Not all players get an opportunity. Vaibhav Suryavanshi never looked back since. I think he’s the only player to play in a unique fashion.”
With 680 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 242.85, Vaibhav Suryavanshi is currently leading the IPL 2026 Orange Cap table. The 15-year-old has already slammed one century and four fifties this year, including 93 and 97 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and SRH, respectively.
The 2011-born lad had scored 252 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 206.55, including a ton and a fifty, in his debut IPL season last year. His exploits with the bat earned him the 2025 Super Strike of the Season award.
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Edited by James Kuanal
