Sunday, May 31, was a day dominated by Virat Kohli and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru as they lifted the IPL 2026 title. Led by Rajat Patidar, RCB sealed the 19th season crown by defeating the Gujarat Titans in the summit match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, winning by five wickets.
Key takeaways
- RCB won the IPL 2026 final against the Gujarat Titans by five wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played a major role in the tournament and finished as the highest run-scorer with 776 runs.
- After the final, cameras caught Virat Kohli speaking with Sooryavanshi, with Kohli placing his arm on the youngster’s shoulder.
- Sooryavanshi swept five awards at the end of IPL 2026: Most Valuable Player, Orange Cap, Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker and Super Sixes of the Season.
- He struck 72 sixes in the season, breaking Chris Gayle’s record for the most maximums in a single IPL campaign, and became the quickest Indian to surpass 1,000 runs.
Sooryavanshi in the spotlight at the final
In addition to the title story, the final also featured a notable presence from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old who had enjoyed a standout IPL 2026. He was seen in the stands following his remarkable run-scoring season of 776 runs, which made him the tournament’s leading batter.
Sooryavanshi, sporting a fresh haircut, was spotted seated in the same viewing box as ICC chairman Jay Shah, former India captain Sourav Ganguly, and BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla. Yet the most prominent moment for fans came after the match when the Rajasthan Royals opener was captured interacting with Kohli.
Footage showed Kohli placing his arm on Sooryavanshi’s shoulder as the two shared a conversation for a couple of minutes. While the exact content of their exchange remained unclear, their body language and expressions suggested Kohli was offering strong praise for the teenager—particularly for the way Sooryavanshi had impacted the tournament, where he reportedly dismantled bowling attacks throughout the competition for the Royals.
The interaction also carried additional context from earlier in the season. During IPL 2026, Kohli had previously given Sooryavanshi an autograph and signed his cap after the left-handed batter struck the RCB bowlers all around the park in the match at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
Award haul and record-breaking season
Once the IPL 2026 campaign wrapped up, Sooryavanshi’s performances translated into a full awards sweep. The 15-year-old walked away with five honours: Most Valuable Player, the Orange Cap, Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker, and Super Sixes of the Season.
In the 19th edition of the T20 tournament, he hammered 72 sixes, surpassing Chris Gayle’s record for the most maximums in a single IPL season. He also became the fastest Indian to reach more than 1,000 runs in the competition.
Beyond the milestones, Sooryavanshi also moved past Rishabh Pant to become the youngest player to touch the 1,000-run mark in IPL history.
After collecting so many accolades, Sooryavanshi acknowledged that to sustain a long career, fitness would be a priority moving forward. “If I have to stay injury-free, I have to work on my fitness. Everyone is very supportive. All senior players, support staff, everyone backs me, and it’s a good atmosphere,” he said during a conversation with Ravi Shastri.
Next assignment: India A tri-series in Sri Lanka
With IPL 2026 complete, Sooryavanshi’s next step will come in the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka. The left-hander has been included in the India A squad for matches against Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A.
