Ek Bihari sab pe bhaari: RCB finally reveals Virat Kohli's chat with Sooryavanshi

Immediately after the IPL final in Ahmedabad, the visual that captured the imagination of cricket enthusiasts did not include the lifting of the trophy. Instead, it was a quiet, serious conversation on the field between Virat Kohli and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Virat Kohli just clinched his second IPL title and sealed a memorable victory for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Gujarat Titans with a winning six. Yet, amid the chaotic celebrations, the veteran batsman made a conscious effort to find the 15-year-old prodigy who completely dominated the individual honors of the tournament.

Sooryavanshi capped off an extraordinary breakthrough season by picking up the major individual accolades, taking home the Most Valuable Player, Most Sixes and Rookie of the Year awards.

The muted video clips of the duo circulating on social media for days have deeply engaged the fans because the young Rajasthan Royals opener could be seen listening to the modern great with rapt attention. The mystery is finally solved. Royal Challengers Bengaluru released a 43-second video clip containing the intact audio of the exchange, which offers a fascinating insight into Kohli’s mentorship.

“Yaha se upar jana hai. Jo huya hai woh achi mehnat aur faith ke wajah se huya. Kaun kya bol raha hai, kaise bol raha hai… Ek Bihari sab pe bhaari. Hra Khatam (You only go higher from there. Whatever happened and as they say. It matters what happened. And it matters. Bihari will beat them all,” Kohli told the youngster, urging him to look ahead while believing in the work ethic and confidence that launched his rise.

The best advice 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi could have received! And who better than Virat Kohli to help stoke his fire in the right direction. pic.twitter.com/MUqCRBo0la— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 3, 2026

The seasoned pro deliberately reminded him to ignore the outside chatter, concluding with a popular colloquialism to celebrate the teenager’s roots in Bihar. Visibly overwhelmed by the opportunity, Sooryavanshi could only nod his head in silent agreement.

The poignant interaction serves as a fitting climax to a season-long subplot that began much earlier in the tournament. In the early weeks of the campaign, Kohli gifted the young left-hander a signed cap. Sooryavanshi deeply valued the coveted orange caps, a symbol of batting supremacy. Throughout the grueling tournament, whenever the 15-year-old topped the batting charts, he made sure to wear a specific autographed cap, turning a simple piece of memorabilia into a personal badge of honor.

STAR SEASON

The veteran’s advice was well-earned, given how thoroughly Sooryavanshi destroyed the traditional trade-off between volume and violence. The 15-year-old finished the campaign with 776 runs in 16 innings at a staggering, record strike rate of 237.31. He worked at maximum speed in the Powerplay with a strike rate of 233 and systematically dismantled the elite international bowlers. He struck at 316.7 against Australia’s Pat Cummins – hitting him for 38 runs off 12 balls – and hit Jasprit Bumrah twice over the ropes in a short five-ball innings.

Almost ninety percent of his runs came exclusively in boundaries. By blasting 72 sixes during the summer, he completely eclipsed Chris Gayle’s long-standing single-season record of 59 highs, clearing the ropes once in 4.3 balls. The teenager’s destructive sequence included a 36-ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad, a brutal 29-ball 97 in the Eliminator and a ferocious 96 off 47 deliveries against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, where he also became the fastest player in history to reach 1000 IPL runs off the balls he faced.

With the domestic calendar drawing to a close, the national selectors are reportedly keeping a close eye on the young opener. Given his unprecedented impact on top-level bowling, speculation is rife that Sooryavanshi could be quickly drafted straight into the senior national squad, with a potential challenge for India’s upcoming T20I tours of Ireland and England looming.

– The end

Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

03 Jun 2026 16:30 IST