Despite Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing their second consecutive Indian Premier League title in 2026, the tournament's standout narrative was the phenomenal performance of 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who amassed 776 runs with a remarkable strike rate of 237.30 to claim the Orange Cap and Most Valuable Player awards. His exceptional batting, characterized by rapid scoring even under pressure and an audacious style, has drawn widespread acclaim from cricketing legends, including Sachin Tendulkar, who highlighted Sooryavanshi's impact beyond mere statistics and his unique ability to influence opposition strategies and inspire his team. Furthermore, former players like Jos Buttler and Atul Wassan have lauded the teenager's talent, with Wassan drawing parallels to a young Sachin Tendulkar, prompting calls for his swift inclusion in the senior national team for upcoming series.

Despite Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing their second consecutive Indian Premier League title in 2026, the tournament's standout narrative was the phenomenal performance of 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who amassed 776 runs with a remarkable strike rate of 237.30 to claim the Orange Cap and Most Valuable Player awards. His exceptional batting, characterized by rapid scoring even under pressure and an audacious style, has drawn widespread acclaim from cricketing legends, including Sachin Tendulkar, who highlighted Sooryavanshi's impact beyond mere statistics and his unique ability to influence opposition strategies and inspire his team. Furthermore, former players like Jos Buttler and Atul Wassan have lauded the teenager's talent, with Wassan drawing parallels to a young Sachin Tendulkar, prompting calls for his swift inclusion in the senior national team for upcoming series.

Despite Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing their second consecutive Indian Premier League title in 2026, the tournament's standout narrative was the phenomenal performance of 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who amassed 776 runs with a remarkable strike rate of 237.30 to claim the Orange Cap and Most Valuable Player awards. His exceptional batting, characterized by rapid scoring even under pressure and an audacious style, has drawn widespread acclaim from cricketing legends, including Sachin Tendulkar, who highlighted Sooryavanshi's impact beyond mere statistics and his unique ability to influence opposition strategies and inspire his team. Furthermore, former players like Jos Buttler and Atul Wassan have lauded the teenager's talent, with Wassan drawing parallels to a young Sachin Tendulkar, prompting calls for his swift inclusion in the senior national team for upcoming series.

Indian Premier League 2026 is over but the hangover of the intoxicating cricket on display over the past two months still lingers on.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru may have retained the IPL trophy with their second consecutive title, but the flavour of this season, without doubt, was Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals opener topped the list of highest run-scorers, with 776 runs in 16 innings at a stunning strike rate of 237.30. The teenager was named the Most Valuable Player and also won the Orange Cap after scoring a century and five half-centuries.

A host of ex-cricketers have already thrown their weight behind Sooryavanshi and urged the national selectors to fast-track him into the senior team, as early as the Ireland series later this month. Former RR player and England international Jos Buttler, who plays for Gujarat Titans now, summed it up aptly in a podcast with former English pacer Stuart Broad: "RCB won the trophy, and they are the story of the IPL. But Vaibhav is nearly the IPL this year. He is the story of the tournament...."

Even Sachin Tendulkar is mind-blown by the talented teenager. “Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had an influence on games that went beyond the runs he scored. Oppositions were thinking about him, teams were planning for him, and fans were waiting for him long before he arrived at the crease,” the legendary Indian batter wrote on Reddit.

“His ability to score rapidly in both the Eliminator and the Qualifier showed that his intent remained unchanged, even as the pressure increased. More importantly, his batting seemed to give Rajasthan Royals an added sense of belief every time he walked out to the middle,” Tendulkar wrote in a post titled, ‘Watching cricket, you are always learning: My IPL 2026 takeaways’.

In an earlier post, he had praised Sooryavanshi’s bat swing. “What’s even more remarkable is how beautifully he clears his front foot to create room for balls aimed at his legs. This freedom allows him to play the way he does.”

Interestingly, ex-India pacer Atul Wassan told PTI that he sees shades of a young Tendulkar in Sooryavanshi. "He is a one in a million generational talent. Can you imagine the maturity and audacity of this boy? He reminds me of 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar. I saw Sachin and that game maturity and audacity to take the bull by the horns (during the 1989 tour of Pakistan). God has blessed him with X factor along with the game & power."

Tendulkar had made his international debut at 16 against a fiery Pakistan bowling attack comprising Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Abdul Qadir and Imran Khan.