I Will Remember IPL 2026 For Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: Sunil Gavaskar After RCB Vs GT Final

Former India batsman Sunil Gavaskar once again praised teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season ended. Reflecting on the tournament, the former India captain said that the Rajasthan Royals opener’s extraordinary six-hitting prowess will be the defining memory he will take away from this year’s competition.

The 15-year-old enjoyed a historic campaign, rewriting the record books and becoming the biggest story of IPL 2026 despite Rajasthan Royals fell short of the title after qualifying 2nd.

“What I will obviously remember is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi,” Gavaskar told India Today in an exclusive interaction when asked about one outstanding memory from the season.

“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi bats the way he did, hit 72 sixes, scored 500 runs in the over alone. That’s a phenomenal achievement for a 15-year-old player. And it just bodes well for Indian cricket going forward.” Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with the trophies he won in IPL 2026 (Screenshot from X/@IPL)

Sooryavanshi’s numbers underline why he has become the highlight 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 surpassed the previous IPL record of 59 held by Chris Gayle for over a decade. Apart from the Orange Cap, Sooryavanshi won several individual awards including the Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Season, Super Striker of the Season and Super Sixer of the Season awards.

GAVASKAR STORIES IN SOORYAVANSHI DRIVE THE FEARLESS

The remarkable aspect of Sooryavanshi’s rise is not only the volume of runs he has scored, but also the fearless manner in which he has faced some of the world’s fastest bowlers. During an interview with Gavaskar on the television station’s post-season programme, the youngster revealed that stories of the batting legend’s courage against the fearsome attacks in the West Indies played a major role in shaping his thinking.

Sooryavanshi said his father often told stories of Gavaskar facing intimidating fast bowlers without the helmet protection enjoyed by today’s batsmen. Hearing those stories convinced him that there was no need to worry about the enemy’s bowling or short deliveries.

Rookie of the Season and Orange Cap with 776 runs
Most sixes in a season (72)
Highest strikeout rate of the season ( 237.30 )
Most Valuable Player 436.5
Highest Fantasy Points 1211 points
Fastest to 1k run in IPL

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi pic.twitter.com/LZDEDIXWoz— Loki (@Loki_cherukur1) May 31, 2026

The teenager explained that if Gavaskar could face the legendary West Indies quicks without a helmetModern players equipped with advanced protective gear should be able to rise to the challenge of facing the pace. That perspective, he said, helped him attack fast bowlers with confidence and approach 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 these stories It looks set to turn into one of the most explosive seasons in IPL history.

With age firmly on his side and expectations rising, his record-breaking campaign reinforced the belief that Indian cricket may have discovered its next-generation 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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Published on:

June 1, 2026 11:19 AM IST