Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sweeps the IPL awards and makes a scary statement at the end

Rajasthan Royals teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi capped off a dream IPL 2026 campaign by bagging the end-of-season awards, but the 15-year-old’s final message to his opponents might have been the most threatening thing he took away from the ceremony.

Sooryavanshi walked away with four of the biggest individual honors of the season, winning the Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Season, Super Striker of the Season and Super Sixer of the Season after a record-breaking campaign that made him one of the most feared batsmen in the tournament.

The left-hander representing Rajasthan Royals tore up bowling attacks across the competition and took on some of the biggest names in world cricket with remarkable fearlessness. His explosive attitude helped him finish as a major Orange Cap winner with a staggering 776 runs from 16 inningswhile his 72 sixes were the most by any batsman that season.

Sooryavanshi’s heroics took Rajasthan Royals to Qualifier 2 where their campaign eventually ended against Gujarat Titans. In the process, the teenager broke several records and came within touching distance of surpassing Chris Gayle’s iconic 30-ball century record.

Speaking after receiving the award, Sooryavanshi admitted that he was already feeling the weight of expectation but vowed to come back stronger next year.

“It feels good. But I feel pressure because I came here for an interview. I will try to work hard and improve my performance next season. I am trying to support my game and if the first ball is in my area, I will go all out and try to play in that way,” said Sooryavanshi.

The young batsman also reflected on the lessons he learned during Rajasthan’s play-off run, saying that he had a better understanding of match situations and handling pressure.

“I learned how to play in pressure games. You can’t play one way. You have to play what the team needs and what the situation calls for. I learned that from the playoffs. That’s what the emphasis is on.”

However, it was his final remark that served as a warning to opposing teams. Despite dominating the tournament and claiming the major honours, Sooryavanshi insisted that fitness remains the biggest area to improve his game.

“If I’m going to play for a long time, I have to save myself from injury. I have to work on my fitness now,” he added.

For a player who has already finished as the league’s top run-scorer, most devastating six-hitter and MVP at just 15, the prospect of an even fitter and more complete Vaibhav Sooryavanshi next season is a daunting thought for bowlers across the IPL.

IPL 2026 Award Winners

Most Valuable Player of the Season: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (436.5 MVP points)
Orange Cap Winner: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (776 runs)
Purple Cap Winner: Kagiso Rabada (29 wickets)
Fair Play Award: Punjab Kings
Catch of the Season Award: Manish Pandey
Most points in a season: Mohammed Siraj (172)
Most fours in a season: B Sai Sudharsan (75)
Super Sixes of the Season: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (72)
Super striker of the season: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Rookie of the Season: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

June 1, 2026 0:40 AM IST