The swashbuckling Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who had a historic debut, comes back for his second IPL season with the Rajasthan Royals, hoping to dominate the Powerplay and destroy bowlers.
The 15-year-old became the next big thing in Indian cricket last year when he dominated the IPL with 252 runs in seven games, including a scorching 35-ball century and a strike rate above 200.
After dominating the Powerplay, he stated that he wants to value his wicket and raise the team total to 200, making it difficult for opponents to chase.
“When I was picked, my only goal was to give the team a good start. I wanted to play my game in the Powerplay, and if I got a good start, I wanted to continue and play long without giving my wicket away,” PTI quoted Sooryavanshi telling JioStar.
“I knew that if I played my shots, the scenario of the game would change, because chasing 200-plus runs would not be easy for any team. This season, the goal is to win the trophy for the team. My performances and the team’s performances will automatically get highlighted if we win the trophy, and that is the most important thing,” stated the youngest IPL debutant, who earlier this year scored 175 in the 2026 Under-19 World Cup final.
According to Sooryavanshi, the two cricketers he looked forward to the most as a youngster were Yuvraj Singh of India, who won the World Cup, and Brian Lara of the West Indies, who was known for his aggressive strokeplay and ability to create match-winning Test innings.
“I saw both, Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh, finish matches single-handedly. If they were in, there was no chance for the opponent to come back into the game, and that was something I really liked about them. I made a lot of runs in domestic cricket for Bihar, in league games and probables,” he said.
Manish Ojha, Sooryavanshi’s childhood coach, claimed that his flawless timing and fearless attacking intent were what made him stand out when he joined the academy.
“In 2018, he came to the academy…it was clear he had potential and a real passion for cricket. He always liked to attack while batting and had beautiful timing. In every session, he would play 400-500 balls and wouldn’t stop unless I gave him a break.
“In 2022, during the open net sessions, he was given a 40-over slot to bat, 20 overs from new-ball bowlers and then spinners. I noticed he preferred to play only big, lofted shots,” said Ojha.
“I told him…if you go for a big shot on every ball and ignore singles or doubles, you increase your chances of getting out. But he would say, ‘Sir, if I can hit a six on that ball, why take a single?'”
