Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was sweating profusely by the time he went up to speak with Ravi Shastri, reflecting on a groundbreaking IPL (Indian Premier League) 2026 season. Sooryavanshi won a total of five awards, including the Orange Cap, becoming the youngest to do so by finishing the season with 776 runs. Sooryavanshi, who attended the IPL final from the special box, made repeated walks up to the stage to win awards for the Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker, Super Sixes, and lastly, the Orange Cap.
If this season is any indication, Sooryavanshi is set to embark on a journey unlike anything Indian cricket has seen before. Twice already, he has earned the God of Cricket's approval, with Sachin Tendulkar first praising his batting technique and later endorsing him as a future Test cricketer for India.
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Sooryavanshi, meanwhile, has remained remarkably grounded, be it in post-match interviews or Rajasthan Royals' mid-season videos. At just 15, he has achieved some extraordinary feats early in his career, but few are as impressive as the authority with which he has taken apart some of the finest bowlers in the modern game. But boy, ‘pressure’ isn’t a word he relates to.
“It feels nice, but there is pressure because I am doing interviews,” Sooryavanshi told Ravi Shastri. “It is a proud moment and I will try and do well next season, too. I try to back my game and if the ball is there to be hit, I go allout for it and just try to play that way. [Learning] How to play the pressure game, how to change myself every game, you can't play every game in one mode, you need to read the game situation and play according to the team's requirements. These are my learnings from this season.”
Sooryavanshi realises the importance of fitness
Such was his campaign this year that Sooryavanshi can look back at the last two months beaming with pride. 72 sixes, the most by a batter in a single edition of the IPL, the youngest to notch up 400, then 500 and eventually 600 runs in a season. Missing the record for the fastest IPL century by a whisker. And lastly, a strike rate of 231.7. Is there something he can’t do?
A few questions were raised about his fielding by Sanjay Manjrekar and Mohammad Kaif. But give him a break. He's only 15. At the same time, though, Shastri, who served as India's head coach for seven years, reminded Sooryavanshi about the importance of fitness, a point the youngster readily acknowledged. He then expressed gratitude to the Rajasthan Royals seniors, who supported him throughout the season.
“Yes, my focus is on that [fitness]. If I have to play long, I have to stay clear of injuries and work on my fitness and have to focus more. Everyone is supportive, they all back me, the senior players, the support staff. They have backed me a lot. I have had lots to learn from the senior players. There is a great environment,” added Sooryavanshi.