With his record-breaking strokeplay, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dominated the IPL 2026. However, the 15-year-old batting sensation claims he has also learned to adapt to the game’s circumstances, maintain composure under pressure, and improve his fitness to avoid injuries.
The left-handed hitter was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, even though his team, the Rajasthan Royals, did not advance to the final after falling to the eventual runners-up Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2.
With 776 runs from 16 innings at an average of 48.50 and an incredible strike rate of 237.30, Sooryavanshi topped the batting list and won the Orange Cap with five fifties and a century.
“This season, I learnt how to play in pressure games, (and) how to change your game,” PTI quoted the 15-year-old as saying after collecting his award after the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
“You cannot play every game in one mode. You will have to read the situation of the game and play according to the requirements of the team. I got to learn this a lot in the playoff games too.”
With 72 maximums in IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi broke West Indies’ Chris Gayle’s previous IPL record for the most sixes in a season (59).
“Yes, I just try to back my game and if I feel that I can hit this ball, then I go all out and try to play like that,” he said.
Sooryavanshi stated he will need to concentrate on his fitness after missing the fastest century in IPL history by just one ball.
“I want to play for a long time, and I will have to work on my fitness and focus on it.”
He claimed that he has received a lot of support from the Rajasthan Royals team.
“Everyone is very supportive and everyone there backs me, all the senior players and the supporting staff back me a lot. I get to learn a lot because everyone is a senior player, they play at a very good level, so the environment is very good.”
