Let’s cut to the chase: no one saw Vaibhav Sooryavanshi coming.
The teenager’s rise isn’t just meteoric; it’s bordering on fantasy at the moment.
Calling the Rajasthan Royals opener’s journey a fairytale almost undersells it. If anything, it feels straight out of Chain Kulli Ki Main Kulli — where a young prodigy shocks the cricketing world with fearless brilliance.
And in a moment straight from that script, Sooryavanshi got his own “magic bat" validation: not from fiction, but from Virat Kohli.
Fearless Against the Best
Facing seasoned pros like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood in the powerplay, many expected the 15-year-old to tread carefully.
Instead, he went on the attack.
Sooryavanshi dominated both veteran bowlers, who looked unusually short of answers and under pressure as the teenager flipped the script entirely.
Even Kohli, watching it unfold from close quarters, couldn’t ignore the statement being made.
Kohli’s Stamp Of Approval
After the match, the youngster had his full-circle moment. Sooryavanshi approached Kohli for an autograph.
And the “King" delivered with more than just a signature.
“Dear Vaibhav, well done," Kohli wrote on the Royals cap — a simple message, but one that carries weight coming from one of the game’s greats.
Vaibhav’s Match-Winning Showcase
Chasing 202 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru looked tricky on paper. But Sooryavanshi’s early onslaught shattered any hopes of control for RCB.
With the momentum firmly in their grasp, the Riyan Parag-led Royals cruised to a six-wicket win with 12 balls to spare: their fourth straight victory, strengthening their grip at the top of the IPL 2026 table.
With his latest knock, Sooryavanshi has also surged past Yashasvi Jaiswal to claim the Orange Cap — as he now boasts 200 runs in just four matches, including two half-centuries.
