As Gujarat Titans gear up for the massive Vaibhav Sooryavanshi challenge in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026 against Rajasthan Royals, assistant coach Parthiv Patel has made it clear that the franchise already has plans prepared for the teenage sensation.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has emerged as one of the biggest stories of the tournament this season with his fearless batting and extraordinary power-hitting abilities. The 15-year-old has completely dominated opposition bowling attacks and currently stands as the leading run-scorer of IPL 2026 with 680 runs at a staggering strike rate of over 240.

The youngster once again delivered a sensational performance in the Eliminator clash and now remains one of the biggest threats for Gujarat Titans heading into the knockout fixture in New Chandigarh.

“Hopefully we get him out early”: Parthiv Patel

Speaking ahead of the high-pressure clash, Parthiv Patel admitted that Gujarat Titans are fully aware of the danger posed by Sooryavanshi but refused to reveal the team’s strategy publicly.

“I am not a broadcaster at the moment, so I won’t be able to reveal our plans,” Parthiv said with a smile during the pre-match press conference.

“I am very excited about the way he is batting. Hopefully, we will be able to get him out early in the game and execute our plans properly. But what those plans are, you will only know when we are on the ground,” he added.

The Titans had managed to dismiss Sooryavanshi during their previous meeting earlier in the league stage, with Mohammed Siraj eventually getting the better of the RR opener after initially taking some punishment.

Parthiv Patel backs GT’s style despite criticism

Meanwhile, Parthiv Patel also defended Gujarat Titans’ approach this season after several experts and rival teams labeled them a predictable side because of their traditional batting style.

Despite criticism surrounding their strike rates compared to other explosive batting units, GT once again finished among the top two teams in the league stage and qualified for the playoffs comfortably.

Parthiv stressed that Gujarat Titans trust their own methods and have no reason to change a formula that has consistently delivered results since the franchise entered the IPL in 2022.

“We finished second on the points table and the results are there for everyone to see,” Parthiv said.

“Different teams play cricket differently. We have our own style and we back ourselves completely. Since Gujarat Titans came into the IPL, we have qualified for the playoffs in four out of five seasons. That consistency speaks for itself.”

GT’s top-order trio of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler has once again carried the batting lineup this season, while experienced bowlers like Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj continue to form the core of the bowling attack.

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