NEW DELHI: See the ball and launch it over the ropes – that’s the mantra young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi follows whenever he is at the crease. After setting the Under-19 World Cup on fire, where he scored a blazing 175 in the final to power India to the title win earlier this year, Sooryavanshi is now carrying on his fiery form in the IPL 2026.In IPL 2026, the 15-year-old from Samastipur, Bihar, is doing what he does best – sending bowlers on a leather hunt with his power-hitting.Sooryavanshi is Rajasthan Royals’ highest run-getter in IPL 2026 so far, scoring 246 runs in 6 matches at an average of 41.00 and a breathtaking strike rate of 236.54.In fact, Sooryavanshi himself confessed in an interview that if he stays at the crease for long, he can take the game away from the opposition.“Main jitni der bhi ground pe hoon, utni der mein dominate karke agar khelu, to match unke haath se chheen sakta hoon [For whatever duration I am on the ground, as long as I am using my skills, dominate and play, I can snatch the match from opponents’ hands],” Sooryavanshi said on Doordarshan.
“Maine apne father se bhi baat ki – hamesha bola ki mera aadha dream poora ho gaya hai, aadha abhi baaki hai. Senior level par World Cup khelna har player ka ek hi dream hota hai – India ke liye khelna aur jeetna. Abhi mera poora focus isi par hai ki senior India ke liye jitna ho sake utna contribute karun [I also spoke to my father. He said I have fulfilled half of his dream, but half is still left, I need to play in the World Cup for the senior Indian team. Of course, every player shares the same dream: to play for the seniors and win for their country, India. That is my focus for India],” he said.In 13 IPL matches so far in his career, he has scored 498 runs at an average of 38.30, with a strike rate of 220.35, including a century and three fifties. He has smashed 42 fours and 44 sixes off 226 balls.Sooryavanshi also drew praise from former India cricketer Irfan Pathan, who called him a “special player” with a bright future ahead.He added that the youngster has the potential to stay at the top level for many years if he continues developing at this pace and temperament.“The theory of Vaibhav Suryavanshi needing big-name bowlers in the opposition is proving true again 😉 This kid is a special player with many years at the top level ahead of him,” Pathan wrote in an X post.