IPL 2026: Irfan Pathan Highlights Jaiswal and Suryavanshi as Rajasthan Royals' Key Stars
Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has praised the dynamic opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi as the face of the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. This exciting duo first took the field together midway through the 2025 season.
The Rajasthan Royals have always been known for nurturing young talent. They signed Jaiswal for INR 2.4 crore even before he had played a single T20 match, and he has since emerged as a key player across all formats for India. The 2008 champions also made a bold move by bringing Suryavanshi on board for INR 1.1 crore during the IPL 2025 mega auction.
At just 13 years old, Suryavanshi became the youngest player ever to participate in the league and made quite an impression in his debut season. With RR finishing ninth in the 2025 edition, there are high hopes for this pair to spearhead the team’s comeback in IPL 2026.
"Who is the face of Rajasthan Royals? Your eyes first go towards Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The way these two players have taken their careers forward is commendable. When you are young, you lack experience, and sometimes when you come in front of a big player, you appear to be on the back foot. But that was not seen in his case, Suryavanshi ignored the age factor quickly, and he has created a unique place for himself. There is a lot of responsibility on both of them, and in a short time they have become the face of Rajasthan," Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
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Pathan also highlighted the strength of RR’s Indian core, which has been bolstered by the addition of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. The franchise has consistently retained players like Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, and Jaiswal to ensure a robust Indian foundation.
Irfan Pathan is confident that young stars Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi can guide the Rajasthan Royals to success in the Indian Premier League 2026. With solid support from players like Ravindra Jadeja, the team appears well-balanced and primed for a stronger performance next season.
Rajasthan Royals Squad for IPL 2026
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Nandre Burger, Dasun Shanaka, Adam Milne, Kwena Maphaka, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Donovan Ferreira, Ravi Singh, Shubham Dubey, Kuldeep Sen, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Vignesh Puthur, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Brijesh Sharma, Aman Rao.