Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's maturity amazes Dasun Shanaka: I have never seen such a child

At just 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already become one of the biggest stories of IPL 2026. His fearless six-hitting and attacking approach has attracted attention from across the cricketing world, but according to Rajasthan Royals teammate Dasun Shanak, it is the teenager’s composure and maturity behind the scenes that stands out even more.

Ahead of Rajasthan Royals’ IPL Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday, Shanaka said he had rarely come across a youngster who could handle the pressure and expectations with such composure in a dressing room environment.

Sooryavanshi’s rise this season has been remarkable. The left-handed batsman from Bihar announced himself with a series of intrepid knocks and has quickly become a fan favorite for the ease with which he smashes boundaries. Just two games ago, he scored 93 off 38 balls against Lucknow Super Giants in one of the most important innings of the season. However, he was dismissed for four in the following match against Mumbai Indians.

But for Shanaka, what was most impressive about Sooryavanshim was how little he was changed by success or failure.

“He’s very professional. It’s not about him failing or running, it’s about what he does in training and how he acts in the dressing room. How cool he is. I haven’t seen a guy like him act like that in the dressing room,” Shanaka said.

The veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder explained that dressing rooms can often be intimidating places for young cricketers, especially in a tournament as high-profile as the IPL, where senior players are constantly mentally testing newcomers. Still, Shanaka said Sooryavanshi showed no signs of being overwhelmed.

“Even seniors put rookies under a lot of pressure, but this kid is very cool. I really love the way he deals with things, whether he’s failing or running. He’s a very natural kid. I see a lot of potential in him. A lot of good things,” added Shanaka.

Shanaka also spoke about Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag, who led the franchise to the playoffs in his first full season as captain. Parag faced criticism at various stages of the tournament for his batting and leadership decisions, but Shanaka strongly backed the young captain and said he could see leadership qualities developing in him.

“He is a very good captain. He sticks to his decisions. That is important. Many people criticize but I see him as a great leader,” Shanaka said.

“He can be a really good leader for Rajasthan and also for Indian cricket. I’ve discussed a lot of things (leadership) with him. Actually, as a player, I’m also a guy who likes to learn from different people. I’m also learning from him. Obviously, I’m also passing messages to him, which is really important.”

Captain Parag has been one of the highlights of Rajasthan’s season. While questions were raised about some of his tactical challenges early in the tournament, the Royals rebounded strongly to reach the playoffs, with Parag growing into the role as the season progressed.

Shanaka also gave an update on the fitness of Parag and veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the Eliminator, saying both players were expected to be available despite minor niggles.

“They’ve had some niggles but they’ll be fine, hopefully they’ll be fine,” Shanaka said.

With Rajasthan Royals now just two wins away from the IPL title, Shanaka said the team took confidence from their recent win over Mumbai Indians and believed the momentum was picking up at the right time.

“It’s good to play a few games and get to the final. After the Mumbai game, we gained a lot of confidence in the dressing room. So, two more games to the final. Hopefully we’ll win it and get there,” he added.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

26 May 2026 20:49 IST