Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is in Ahmedabad for the IPL 2026 final on Sunday, May 31, even though his team was eliminated from the playoffs. The 15-year-old explosive left-hander won two major individual awards, the Orange Cap and the Emerging Player of the Season, and has travelled to the host city for the post-match presentation ceremony at Narendra Modi Stadium.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi clinches Orange Cap with record-breaking season
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ended the season as the highest run-scorer in the tournament. He finished with 776 runs in 16 matches at an average of 48.50 and a stunning strike rate of 237.30. The teenager smashed one century and five half-centuries, hammering 63 fours and 72 sixes along the way. His fearless batting at the top of the order set him apart from everyone else.
Shubman Gill of Gujarat Titans came close with 732 runs in 16 matches at an average of 45.75 and a strike rate of 163.02, including one century and six half-centuries. Sai Sudharsan, also from Gujarat Titans, ended third with 722 runs in 17 matches at 45.13 average and 157.98 strike rate, featuring one century and eight fifties. With both Gujarat Titans stars getting dismissed in the final, neither could overtake the young RR sensation, handing Sooryavanshi the Orange Cap in style.
List of awards won by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also won the awards for the Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season (237.3), Most Valuable Player and Super Sixes of the Season (72). Notably, Vaibhav broke Chris Gayle's record of most sixes in an IPL season in his previous match.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on winning the Most Valuable Player of the IPL 2026
“It feels good, but I’m feeling a little pressure because I’m here for an interview. But yes, it’s a proud moment, it feels great, and I’ll try to do even better next season,” Vaibhav Sooryavanshi said.
“I just try to back my game. If I feel that the first ball is in my zone and I can hit it, then I go all-out and try to play that way. (on what he learned from the season) This season, I learned how to play in pressure situations and how to change my game according to the circumstances. You can’t play every game with the same mindset. You have to read the situation of the game and play according to what the team requires. I learned a lot about that, especially in the playoff games,” he added.
“I’ll have to focus a lot on fitness because I want to play for a long time. I need to avoid injuries and things like that, so I’ll have to work on that and focus even more going forward,” he expressed.
