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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi announced himself on the big stages, as he had a stellar TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season with the Rajasthan Royals (RR), breaking several records in the recently concluded rich cash league. The 15-year-old sensation won every possible individual award after his stunning IPL 2026 season, which first earned him his India A ODI call.
Later on, he was fast-tracked by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as he had been selected for the upcoming Ireland and England T20I series and also named in the Asian Games 2026 squad. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was picked by the Royals in the 2025 season, when Rahul Dravid was the head coach. Under the former India head coach, he made his debut.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's meteoric rise has been breathtaking
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, onr his debut match, struck a first-ball six to Shardul Thakur and scored 34 runs off 20 balls. In the same season he smashed 101 off 38 balls in the same season, making him the youngest centurion in men's T20 cricket. However, this season he was completely different as he finished off as the leading run getter in the tournament.
Vaibhav won the Orange Cap after scoring 776 runs in the tournament, and he also won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, which is the player of the tournament, for his exceptional performances and for becoming the youngest to achieve these milestones.
"Don't think there's a recipe for making a Sooryavanshi"- Rahul Dravid heaps praise Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Vaibhav might be on his way to make his senior team debut on Friday in Belfast, against Ireland. Ahead of that, former Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid has shared his views on the young prodigy as he had some of the best views of the former’s batting during IPL 2025.
Speaking to the BBC, Dravid described Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as "a really unique talent". "I think it's an incredible combination of ability to pick up a bowler's speed and then cricket smarts, fearlessness. It's a whole combination of things."
Dravid added: "I don't think there's a recipe for making a Sooryavanshi, I don't think you can take any kid and say, do this, and he will become that good. There are certain things they are just gifted with."
He's worked very hard as well- Rahul Dravid on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's work ethics
Dravid, however, pointed out that Sooryavanshi's success is not only down to talent. He recalled working with him at Rajasthan Royals in 2025, when the youngster made his IPL debut at the age of 14.
"But he's worked very hard as well, so it's not just a gift. From a young age, he's hit a lot of balls. I saw that at Rajasthan," Dravid has cautioned Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar over managing the 15-year-old boy wonder’s and asked for development to be handled carefully as he begins his international career from Friday.
"I just hope that he's supported and helped along the journey to be able to actually achieve that potential." He added, "You need to protect someone like him, but it's always going to be that fine line because sometimes you need to let somebody fly."
