Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the Rajasthan Royals contingent made the trip from Mumbai to Mullanpur on Wednesday ahead of the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad. As expected, the “boy wonder” became the focal point for the cameras, with photographers trying to get a shot at every turn. Yet the moment that truly grabbed attention came from captain Riyan Parag, whose unexpected response left Sooryavanshi momentarily stunned.
The squad had only just arrived when a photographer called out to Parag and asked, “Sir, would you please take a photo with Vaibhav?” Parag’s reply was blunt and playful: “We aren’t film stars,” before he walked away from the spot. Sooryavanshi could only react with a humorous expression aimed at his captain, capturing the lighter side of the day’s excitement.
That brief episode, though, did nothing to disturb the rapport within the group. If anything, Parag has repeatedly shown his backing for the youngster. Sooryavanshi has even been seen seeking blessings from Riyan Parag’s father, underscoring the respect and support surrounding him as his rise continues.
And it is easy to see why the attention is so intense. In a remarkably short time, Sooryavanshi has built a reputation that goes beyond simple hype—he became the youngest player to reach 500 runs in a single IPL season and has quickly turned into one of the most talked-about stars of IPL 2026. Michael Vaughan summed up the phenomenon well when he highlighted how Sooryavanshi’s ability to draw crowds has been extraordinary. The reward has been equally visible: he has been breaking records and clearing the ropes with sixes at will.
Sooryavanshi’s league-stage numbers have been just as eye-catching, with 583 runs across 14 matches—good enough for the fifth-highest total in the season. He currently sits six maximums away from matching Chris Gayle’s record for the most sixes in a single IPL campaign, and seven short of surpassing it. With at least one match still to come, the tournament’s next chapter could offer him even more fireworks. If Rajasthan Royals manage to win, he would potentially have two further chances, including a shot at the final.
Sooryavanshi’s legend grows
Sooryavanshi has already produced feats that are rarely seen in the game’s modern landscape. In a similar spirit to how Sachin Tendulkar announced himself in the late 1980s by taking on Abdul Qadir, Sooryavanshi has shown little hesitation against the sport’s fastest and most proven operators. His list of victims includes Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Kagiso Rabada and Mitchell Starc—an impressive roll call of pace bowling talent.
With Rajasthan finally landing a true superstar, the Eliminator and whatever follows could be the ideal platform for Sooryavanshi to guide them toward another IPL final—and potentially their first title since 2008. The stage feels set for him to make a decisive impact when it matters most.
After three half-centuries and a century, Sooryavanshi’s influence has been substantial. As he has pointed out himself, his next ambition is to do something no other batter has achieved in T20 cricket: record the format’s first-ever double century and move beyond Chris Gayle’s legendary 175-run surge. He has come close on two occasions before, producing scores of 190 and 175—but both of those efforts arrived in 50-over cricket. Still, given the pace of his development and the way he is building innings, there is a strong argument that he is the one most capable of making the double-century dream a reality.
