Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes all eyes will be on young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi when Rajasthan Royals take on Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2026 clash in Ahmedabad on Saturday, April 4. Sooryavanshi lit up the first match of the tournament with a stunning 17-ball 52, propelling Rajasthan Royals to a dominant eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings. His fearless strokeplay has already made him one of the most talked about players this season, but Chopra believes opposition players will come prepared with specific plans to counter him. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra suggested that the Gujarat players are likely to test the youngster with short deliveries and wider lines. “All eyes are on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as to how this guy will play. He will be tested. The way he swings his bat, the bouncers will definitely come at him. I think the bouncers will be a threat,” Chopra said. He further explained that bowlers could also try to exploit areas outside the off-stump. “After that, they might bowl him a little wide, asking him to hit sixes over cover. He doesn’t bowl sixes over cover. There are chances of him getting caught in deep cover. So you can bowl in two areas,” he added. Chopra also felt that Rajasthan Royals are unlikely to play with a winning combination after their clinical start to the season. Having bowled out Chennai Super Kings for just 127 and chasing the target with 47 balls to spare, RR look well settled. “This team doesn’t have many questions. The last match was a perfect match. They stopped Chennai on 127 and won easily. So I don’t think there is room for too many changes,” he observed. Turning his attention to the Gujarat Titans, Chopra emphasized the importance of their top orders being delivered consistently. He highlighted the roles of Shubman GillSai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, highlighting that the trio must replicate their previous performances. “The top three will have to score runs again. All three are absolutely outstanding. So you expect them to do what they did last season, but what about numbers 4 to 6? Spin will be played against Glenn Phillips, either Ravindra Jadeja or Ravi Bishnoi,” he said. Chopra also raised questions about Gujarat’s middle-order and the balance of the team, suggesting a possible rethink of the personnel. He wondered if Kumar Kushagra could replace Shahrukh Khan, while pointing out the latter’s disappointing returns in recent years. “Then Washington Sundar and Shahrukh Khan. You might think of Kumar Kushagra. I was checking the total money Shahrukh Khan has received in the last five years. Money is not an issue, but performance has not been great. He is still playing,” Chopra observed. On the bowling front, Chopra questioned whether Kagiso Rabada could make way for Jason Holder after a costly exit, while suggesting better utilization of Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj. “Kagiso Rabada was expensive in the last match. Will you think about Jason Holder because you bought him for so much money? Can you play Prasidh Krishna a little earlier? Can you play Mohammed Siraj until the end?” he elaborated. Finally, Chopra noted that Ashok Sharma will also be in the spotlight. The pacer, who was part of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025 but did not retain, now faces his former team in what could be a closely watched subplot in the contest.