Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag plans to limit the media interactions of teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi this IPL season, asking the 14-year-old to focus only on his batting as the franchise prepares to open their campaign against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on March 30.
With all eyes Sooryavanshi after a sensational debut season in the IPL, Parag wants to insulate the youngster from the pressure that comes with being one of the most talked about players in the tournament.
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“Naturally there will be hype and pressure this year, but as captain I will tell him to let Yashasvi Jaiswal take the pressure,” Parag told reporters. “For Vaibhav, the role will be just go, hit and don’t worry.
A season to remember
Sooryavanshi, who turns 15 next week, took the IPL by storm last season when he hit the first ball he faced for a six before smashing a 35-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans. He carried that form into the U19 World Cup where he smashed 175 off 80 balls in the final against England and finished the tournament with a record 30 sixes as India lifted the trophy.
Not everyone is convinced the run will continuehowever. Speaking on Star Sports, Laxmipathy Balaji warned that the opponents will arrive better prepared this time.
“The second season is always tougher. Opponents study him and sustaining his performance will be a challenge,” Balaji said, adding mentor Kumar Sangakkara’s guidance will be crucial to help Sooryavanshi build consistency.
Noise blocking
However, Parag backs his young opener to handle the heat if ambient noise is kept to a minimum. With former captain Sanju Samson now at Chennai Super Kings, Jaiswal will serve as an experienced anchor at the top of the order, allowing Sooryavanshi to play freely.
“As captain, I will tell him not to do many press conferences, not to interact much with the media, just enjoy it,” Parag said.
Sooryavanshi was targeting Chris Gayle’s 175 not out, the highest individual score in IPL history. For Rajasthan Royals, the message heading into IPL 2026 is clear: no distractions, no spotlight, just the bat.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
March 20, 2026 1:40 PM IST
