'He doesn't really have to...': RR coach addresses growing debate around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fitness

Rajasthan Royals (RR) assistant coach Trevor Penney finally broke silence on the growing discussions surrounding teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fitness during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

The 15-year-old RR opener has taken the tournament by storm with his fearless batting and six-hitting ability, but his aggressive style has also sparked conversations around his fitness and running between the wickets.

Ahead of RR’s clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI), Penney responded to those concerns in a humorous yet confident manner.

Trevor Penney dismisses concerns over Sooryavanshi’s fitness

Speaking to reporters before RR’s upcoming fixture, Penney backed the youngster completely and suggested that there are absolutely no concerns regarding Sooryavanshi’s fitness.

The RR assistant coach joked that the teenager hardly needs to run much between the wickets because of the number of sixes he has been smashing this season.

"(Sooryavanshi's) running between the wickets is very good. But he doesn't really have to run between the wickets too much, does he?"

Penney further highlighted the incredible six-hitting numbers of the teenager, who is now on the verge of scripting history in the IPL.

"It's just about to break Chris Gayle's record for sixes."

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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already smashed 53 sixes in IPL 2026 and now stands only six maximums away from breaking Chris Gayle’s all-time record of 59 sixes in a single IPL season.

The explosive RR opener has consistently dominated bowlers throughout the tournament and has emerged as one of the biggest breakout stars of the season.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi enjoying a sensational IPL 2026 campaign

Sooryavanshi has had a dream IPL season so far for the Rajasthan Royals.

In 13 matches, the young batter has scored 579 runs while averaging 44.54 at a staggering strike rate of 236.33.

The left-handed opener currently sits fourth in the Orange Cap leaderboard and has played a massive role in RR’s campaign this season.

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His fearless approach at the top of the order has helped Rajasthan Royals dominate powerplays consistently, while his ability to clear the boundary with ease has made him one of the most dangerous batters in the tournament.

With multiple match-winning performances already under his belt, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to establish himself as one of Indian cricket’s brightest future stars.