‘More than ready’: Kumar Sangakkara backs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for India invite after IPL dream

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Image credit: BCCI/IPL) TimesofIndia.com in Mullanpur: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s remarkable IPL 2026 campaign may have ended with Rajasthan Royals falling short in Qualifier 2, but the conversation surrounding the 15-year-old has only intensified. After another folded knock under pressure in the high-stakes playoffs, Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara issued perhaps his strongest endorsement yet of the teenager’s future, declaring he is “more than ready” for any challenge, including an invitation to India.The Rajasthan Royals opener amassed 776 runs in 16 innings at a blistering strike rate of 237.30, including one century and five fifties. Sooryavanshi’s season has been one of the defining stories of the tournament. And he rounded off his campaign with another mature innings when Rajasthan needed him the most. At the Mullanpur Stadium, where the pitch doubled in the first innings as wickets kept falling around him, the teenager withstood the pressure and guided his team to a competitive total. He scored a 47-ball 96 against Gujarat Titans (GT), after scoring a 19-ball 97 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the same venue a few days ago. Sangakkara, who is Rajasthan Royals’ director of cricket as well as head coach, was particularly impressed with Sooryavanshi’s handling of the situation.“I thought he batted brilliantly today. It was a much tougher innings with wickets falling around him and he held his nerve and really got us to a defendable total,” Sangakkara said after the match.What continues to stand out, according to the former Sri Lankan captain, is not just the teenager’s shooting ability, but his understanding of the game.“The guy, for 15 years, is very mature, he reads the game really well, he reads situations well and he has no fear,” Sangakkara said.The question naturally followed: is Sooryavanshi ready for India?Sangakkara’s response left little room for doubt.“You never know if someone is ready until they play. And with all that Vaibhav has done against some of the best bowlers in the world, I think he is more than ready to take on any challenge you throw at him.”The Royals coach went a step further and predicted that national recognition might not be far off.“I’m sure it will be very, very soon,” he said.The praise was not limited to Sooryavanshi’s runs. Sangakkara highlighted the responsibility the youngster carried during the season, especially at the top of the order.“He’s matured a lot. He’s shouldered that opening partnership so well for us this season.”As expectations around the teenager continue to rise, Rajasthan Royals are already carefully planning their development during the off-season. Sangakkara revealed that the franchise will create an individualized program for Sooryavanshi, including fitness, skill development and workload management.Like every player on the team, the teenager will have his own plan in place in consultation with the Royals medical and coaching staff.“We will sit down with our medical team and go through what he might need and then support him. We will run our camps, he will have ample opportunities to train with us. So we will be keeping a very close eye not only on Vaibhav but all our players,” Sangakkara said.But managing amazing talent goes beyond batting practice and conditioning. In the age of social media, every shift, every failure and every success is magnified. Sangakkara said the franchise is conscious of protecting Sooryavanshi from unnecessary distractions.“We don’t put too much pressure on his head. He goes to all of our team meetings, he contributes, he listens and he does a lot of homework. He practices well and reads pitchers well.”The former Sri Lankan captain stressed that keeping a clear mind is critical for the young player, whose biggest asset remains his fearless attitude.“We don’t want to put any unnecessary thoughts into his head. A clear mind burning with that courage is exactly what we want to see from him.”For Sangakkara, coaching a 15-year-old is ultimately no different from coaching any elite cricketer. The emphasis remains on understanding the individual rather than overwhelming them with information.“Overwhelming people with information is never good. So we keep things pretty simple when we can,” he said.If Sooryavanshi’s IPL campaign has proven anything, it’s that simplicity, clarity and fearlessness can take a player a long way. And if Sangakkar’s assessment is accurate, the next stop could well be the Indian dressing room in Ireland.