IPL 2026: 'Slight liability on the field' - Sanjay Manjrekar expresses concern on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 'impact player' role

Published - 12 May 2026, 15:51 IST | Updated - 12 May 2026, 15:51 IST

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been taking the IPL by storm. The 15-year-old had a blistering performance in his rookie season for the Rajasthan Royals in 2025 and has followed it up in 2026 with a merciless takedown of bowlers to a degree rarely seen in the game. He has scored 440 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 236.56.

Sooryavanshi has been used by the Royals predominantly as their impact player in 2026. Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar has opined that the impact player rule has to be scrapped, referencing Sooryavanshi. He believes that players cannot be rated solely on their batting ability, but should also be rated for how they are on the field. He drew comparisons to former Pakistan skipper Inzamam ul-Haq as well.

“I'm increasingly thinking that we have to do away with impact sub for this reason as well. Is that what you want to see about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, just the one side of him? Yeah. Isn't a cricketer somebody who bats well and fields well as well? Earlier, we used to respect, and in Inzamam-ul-Haq for his batting, but you saw the other side of his as well, as a field or whatever. And that helped you sort of gauge and rate that player. Just using somebody's hitting abilities to get him to play 6 balls, that's it, and you don't see the other side,” Manjrekar said on the Sporstar's Insight Edge Podcast.

Manjrekar was vocal to see Sooryavanshi on the field. He believes that how a player deals with adversity on the field would help them adapt to the demands of the highest level of the sport.

“We are not expecting to see all 3 dimensions of a player. But the more I think of it, it all makes sense, and you're right, Sooryavanshi, you want to see him be on the field and see what happens and be put under pressure as well. If he is a great batter, but a slight liability in the field, I'd like to see that exploited. That is also something we have experienced as fielders when we drop a catch at the tension that comes with it, which is going to be batting and chilling. You don't want one of the highest sort of levels of the sport to be that easy,” he added.

IPL 2026: Vaibhav 'unhappy' with impact player role

Manjrekar further referenced Shivam Dube, who plays as an impact player for the Chennai Super Kings, but was part of India’s 2026 T20 World Cup-winning side as an all-rounder. He believes that scrapping the impact player rule would test players more in the game.

“Absolutely (Is having him play as an impact player hampering his growth as a fielder). And that is an issue that's going to be there. India won the T20 World Cup despite the impact player rule being there, despite a guy like Shivam Dube not bowling at all, but still doing well in the T20 World Cup. So things are happening. But I believe that a cricketer, not somebody, will just come in and tuck, tuck, tuck, then take a break and enjoy life. I just wanted to become a little more testing for every player, not just if he is a good bowler, bowls his 4 overs, I'd like to see him in the field as well,” said Manjrekar.

The impact player rule has seen fair criticism from players and experts alike. In an earlier episode, the Royals' assistant coach, Trevor Penney, stated in a press conference that Vaibhav does not prefer being the impact player and wants to go out onto the field in the bowling innings.