The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has been rocked by a fresh controversy involving young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The Rajasthan Royals player has been accused of using an artificial intelligence (AI) generated chip embedded in his bat to generate more power in his shots.
The allegations surfaced after a tweet from Dr Nauman Niaz went viral, questioning the legitimacy of Sooryavanshi's explosive batting performance. "Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is batting like he's got an AI chip installed. Frankly, just like we have doping tests, he should be tested too. This doesn't look human. What a player he is!! Unreal!" the tweet read, accompanied by a video clip of his innings.
The tweet, posted by Tehseen Qasim, quickly gained traction, sparking a debate among cricket fans and experts. Many have called for the introduction of bat testing protocols similar to doping tests in sports to ensure fair play. The accusation comes after a match between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, where Sooryavanshi's power-hitting left spectators and commentators in awe.
As of now, neither the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) nor the Rajasthan Royals management have issued an official statement on the matter. However, the incident has raised questions about the use of technology in cricket equipment and whether current regulations are sufficient to prevent such innovations.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has been in stellar form this season, has not commented on the allegations. The IPL governing council is expected to review the matter and possibly introduce guidelines for bat inspections in the future.
