Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s astonishing rise continued on Sunday night at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where the 15-year-old—still in only his second IPL campaign—came agonisingly close to sweeping every major batting prize. In a season that saw him pile up 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.31, the Rajasthan Royals youngster claimed the Emerging Player award, the Orange Cap, the Super Striker trophy and the Most Valuable Player honour.
Key takeaways
- Sooryavanshi, aged 15, scored 776 runs in the IPL season at a strike rate of 237.31.
- He won four top awards: Emerging Player, Orange Cap, Super Striker and Most Valuable Player.
- After the IPL, attention has shifted to his India prospects and whether he can translate his impact beyond T20.
- In response to questions about staying “on the ground”, Sooryavanshi hinted at a different approach during upcoming India A assignments.
- He said he has been working with the red ball as well, while also clarifying his Test ambitions.
- Sachin Tendulkar publicly backed his potential for Test cricket at an awards event in Mumbai attended by Ajit Agarkar.
From IPL awards to the next challenge
Despite the trophy haul, Sooryavanshi suggested he is not satisfied yet. After a record-breaking IPL season, the Rajasthan Royals prodigy is already aiming at what he views as the defining test of his career—success in longer formats.
His IPL 2026 breakthrough turned him into a constant topic of conversation, with the left-hander repeatedly troubling elite bowling attacks and handling pressure situations with a level of composure that drew comparisons beyond the league stage. Performances like that naturally fuelled debate over whether an India call-up could be next, and whether his game can adapt across formats.
“A one-day assignment will show a different side”
While the chatter around a potential India debut grows, Sooryavanshi’s focus is already moving forward. After the final—where Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans—former India spinner R Ashwin, speaking on the broadcast, made a light-hearted reference to a batting award Sooryavanshi did not win: the prize for hitting the most fours. Ashwin then questioned whether Sooryavanshi planned to keep the ball down more often.
Sooryavanshi replied that fans will soon get a look at another dimension of his batting during the forthcoming India A assignments, explaining that the next set of games is in a one-day format. He also revealed he has been putting in “significant work” with the red ball, adding that his preparation has not been visible to the public yet but would be soon.
“Yes, I will have to play on the ground because the next assignment is in a one-day format,” he said. “I have practised a lot with a red ball, but no one has seen me do that, but they will soon.”
Test dreams, and what he says his game really is
When Harbhajan Singh pushed him further about his Test ambitions, Sooryavanshi addressed the assumption that his skill set is limited to six-hitting. He stressed that T20 is a format where coaches give players freedom to attack, and that his power comes from confidence and ability—not compulsion.
“People think I love to hit every ball, but this is the T20 format, and coaches give me a free hand to go all guns blazing. And I hit the ball only because I know I can hit them, and it isn’t out of compulsion,” he explained.
He then reinforced his motivation to play Test cricket, saying it is the “ultimate format” in the way his father taught him, and that he has already had some exposure. Sooryavanshi said he has played Ranji Trophy cricket but did not receive many opportunities, which made it challenging. Still, he added that he intends to keep working to improve that side of his game.
“I want to play Test cricket, obviously, because my father also taught me that it is the ultimate format, and I have played it as well. I’m yet to play many games, though. I played Ranji Trophy cricket but did not get too many opportunities, and it was challenging for me. But I am going to keep working on that aspect of my game,” he said.
Tendulkar backs him for Tests
Sooryavanshi’s comments came a day after Sachin Tendulkar endorsed his Test potential at an awards ceremony in Mumbai. The event was attended by BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
Tendulkar told the youngster to stay true to himself, arguing that there is always a “first time” in Test cricket. He said that with age and experience, Sooryavanshi will learn how to handle the different challenges that come with the format and adopt a solution-oriented mindset.
“I would tell him to just be himself,” Tendulkar said. “There is always a first time. In Test cricket, along with age, he will learn how to deal with various challenges. It’s about having a solution-oriented mindset. Problems are always going to be there. The bowler is asking a question every ball. Now, what solutions do you find?”
Tendulkar added that the key challenge will be how Sooryavanshi responds when his rhythm is disrupted—when multiple instructions and hurdles get in the way of what makes his batting effective.
“The way he sees the ball and the way he responds to that, if that signal is interrupted — if you put a lot of hurdles in between that by telling him multiple things — that’s where the real challenge would be. I would give him the freedom to go out and bat the way he does. Along with time, he will learn to deal with other challenges of the game.”
Red-ball exposure and junior success
Sooryavanshi’s longer-format experience is still early, with just eight first-class matches since making his debut for Bihar in January 2024. Across 12 innings, he has scored 207 runs, including one half-century.
At junior level, he has already demonstrated his ability to dominate. Most notably, he hit a 58-ball century for India U-19 against Australia last year—an innings that further underlined the talent and tempo he has brought to every stage of his development.
