Rajasthan Royals batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stole the headlines once again after the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad on Sunday, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru faced Gujarat Titans. The 15-year-old delivered a sensational campaign with the bat, finishing the tournament as the season’s standout run-scorer and power-hitter, then walked through the awards ceremony as the clear centre of attention.
Key takeaways
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi won five major end-of-season honours in IPL 2026: Most Valuable Player, Orange Cap, Super Striker of the Season, Emerging Player of the Season, and Most Sixes.
- The Orange Cap was claimed by Sooryavanshi at just 15 years and 65 days, making him the youngest-ever recipient of the award.
- He struck 776 runs in the league stage across 16 innings, a total that stayed out of reach for Gujarat Titans in the final showdown.
- Sooryavanshi smashed 72 sixes in IPL 2026, breaking the previous record of 59 held by Chris Gayle.
- After the awards, Ravi Shastri shared a playful moment with the teenager on stage, sparking a light-hearted exchange about milk.
Shastri’s playful question and Sooryavanshi’s response
Following the presentation ceremony, Sooryavanshi was invited onto the stage for a brief conversation with former India cricketer Ravi Shastri. Shastri, impressed by the youngster’s aggressive approach, asked him how much milk he drinks each day—curious about where the strength comes from to time the ball so cleanly at such a young age.
Shastri’s question in Hindi was: “Aap kitna doodh pite ho roz?” In reply, the teenager, still smiling, said: “Main ab doodh nahi pita.” The fun exchange quickly became a talking point, with clips circulating widely after the interaction.
Orange Cap breakthrough and a record-breaking six-hitting season
Sooryavanshi also made history by becoming the youngest player to lift the Orange Cap, rewriting the IPL record book at 15 years and 65 days. The mark he surpassed had been set previously by Gujarat Titans batter Sai Sudharsan, who won the Orange Cap last year at 23 years and 231 days.
His run tally for IPL 2026 stood at 776, scored over 16 innings. In the final on Sunday, Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill and his opening partner Sudharsan were unable to launch a successful chase against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, leaving Sooryavanshi’s tournament total firmly ahead of their challenge.
Beyond runs, his power-hitting defined the season. Across the campaign, he launched 72 sixes, surpassing the long-standing IPL record of 59 set by Chris Gayle and setting a new benchmark for six-hitting at the highest level of T20 cricket.
