Former India batting great Sunil Gavaskar has once again heaped praise on teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Reflecting on the tournament, the former India captain said the Rajasthan Royals opener’s extraordinary six-hitting ability would be the defining memory he carries from this year’s competition.
The 15-year-old enjoyed a historic campaign, rewriting the record books and emerging as the biggest story of IPL 2026 despite Rajasthan Royals falling short of the title after reaching Qualifier 2.
“What I’ll remember, of course, is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi,” Gavaskar told India Today in an exclusive interaction when asked about the one standout memory from the season.
“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi batting the way that he did, hitting 72 sixes, scoring 500 runs in the power play itself. I mean, that is a phenomenal achievement by a 15-year-old. And that just augurs well for Indian cricket in the future.”
Sooryavanshi’s numbers underline why he became the talking point of the season. The teenage opener finished with the Orange Cap after amassing 776 runs at an average of 48.50 and a staggering strike rate of 237.30. His tally of 72 sixes shattered the previous IPL record of 59, held by Chris Gayle for more than a decade. In addition to the Orange Cap, Sooryavanshi swept multiple individual honours, including the Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season and Super Sixes of the Season awards.
GAVASKAR STORIES FUEL FEARLESSNESS IN SOORYAVANSHI
The remarkable aspect of Sooryavanshi’s rise is not merely the volume of runs he scored but the fearless manner in which he took on some of the world’s quickest bowlers. During a conversation with Gavaskar on the broadcaster’s post-season programme, the youngster had revealed that stories about the batting legend’s courage against the fearsome West Indies pace attacks had played a major role in shaping his mindset.
Sooryavanshi said his father frequently narrated tales of Gavaskar facing intimidating fast bowlers without the protection of a helmet modern batters enjoy today. Hearing those stories convinced him that there was little reason to fear hostile bowling or short-pitched deliveries.
The teenager explained that if Gavaskar could stand up to legendary West Indies quicks without a helmet, modern players equipped with advanced protective gear should be able to embrace the challenge of facing pace. That perspective, he said, helped him attack fast bowlers confidently and treat bouncers as scoring opportunities rather than threats.
Gavaskar’s own career remains one of cricket’s greatest examples of courage and technical excellence against elite pace bowling. For Sooryavanshi, drawing inspiration from those stories appears to have translated into one of the most explosive seasons in IPL history.
With age firmly on his side and expectations soaring, the youngster’s record-breaking campaign has strengthened belief that Indian cricket may have discovered its next generational batting superstar. If Gavaskar’s assessment is anything to go by, IPL 2026 will long be remembered as the season when Vaibhav Sooryavanshi announced himself to the world.
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