Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Image source: BCCI/IPL)
New Delhi: Rajasthan Royals’ teenage star Vaibhav Suryavanshi may not have featured in the IPL 2026 final, but the 15-year-old finished the season as one of its undisputed stars.As Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets in Ahmedabad on Sunday to defend their title, Sooryavanshi dominated the post-match awards ceremony, collecting a host of individual honors after a record-breaking campaign.However, it was his candid confession on stage that stole the show.
After being named the IPL Player of the Year 2026, the teenager admitted that he was feeling nervous while speaking at the presentation ceremony.“It feels good, but I feel some pressure having to give the interview,” Suryavanshi said, drawing smiles on the faces of the audience.A season to rememberThe youngster enjoyed an amazing campaign, scoring 776 runs in 16 innings at an impressive strike rate of 237.30.His fearless batting changed the fortunes of Rajasthan Royals and made him one of the most talked about players in the tournament.The numbers were equally impressive. Sooryavanshi finished as the season’s highest run-scorer to claim the Orange Cap, comfortably ahead of Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill and teammate Sai Sudharsan.He also smashed bowling attacks throughout the tournament, smashing 72 sixes and scoring consistently at an astonishing pace.
Reflecting on his meteoric rise, the young man has shown maturity beyond his years.“How we play every match, you can’t play every match the same way. If I have to stay injury-free, I have to work on my fitness. Everyone is very supportive. All the senior players and the support staff, everyone is supporting me and it’s a good atmosphere,” he said.
Awards galore for RR WonderkidThe Most Valuable Player award was just one of several awards received by Sooryavanshi on the final night of the season.In addition to the Orange Cap, he was named Emerging Player of the Season, Striker of the Season for his impressive batting average of 237.3, and Super Sixes of the Season for crossing the ropes 72 times.Although Rajasthan Royals failed to reach the final after losing to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, Sooryavanshi’s performance ensured that the franchise remained in the competition until the final week of the tournament.For a player who is just 15 years old, IPL 2026 has been a season of records, trophies and unforgettable innings. However, amid all the accolades, it was his honest admission about feeling nervous during the interview that perhaps revealed the teenager behind the star.