Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Makes IPL History as Youngest Orange Cap Winner

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has made headlines by becoming the youngest player in IPL history to win the Orange Cap at just 15 years and 65 days. His outstanding performance for Rajasthan Royals included a record-breaking 776 runs and numerous accolades, including Most Valuable Player. In the IPL 2026 final, RCB clinched their second title, with Virat Kohli playing a pivotal role. Sooryavanshi's achievements have set a new benchmark in Indian cricket, making him a player to watch in the future.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 1, 2026, 01:36 IST

A Remarkable Achievement

Rajkumar Sharma, the childhood coach of Virat Kohli, has praised the emerging talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after he became the youngest player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to secure the Orange Cap. At just 15 years and 65 days, Sooryavanshi has set a new record, surpassing the previous youngest winner, Sudharsan of Gujarat Titans, who achieved this at 23 years and 231 days in 2025. Shubman Gill had held the record prior, winning it at 23 years and 263 days in 2023.

Sooryavanshi's Stellar Season

At the conclusion of IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi was recognized with multiple awards, including Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season, Orange Cap winner, and Super Sixes of the Season. The young batter from Bihar had an outstanding tournament with the Rajasthan Royals, amassing 776 runs at an impressive strike rate of 237.30, making him the highest run-scorer.

His remarkable consistency included a record-setting 72 sixes, allowing him to break several long-standing IPL records and establish himself as a significant prospect in Indian cricket.

Sooryavanshi came close to matching Kohli's record of four centuries in a season, having been dismissed in the nineties on three occasions: 93 against Lucknow Super Giants, 97 in the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and 96 in Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans, in addition to scoring a century against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He also achieved the milestone of 1,000 IPL runs in record time, needing only 440 balls, surpassing the previous record held by West Indies great Andre Russell. In terms of innings, he became the second-fastest to reach this milestone, accomplishing it in 23 innings, while Shaun Marsh holds the record at 21 innings.

Feeling the Pressure

"It feels great, but I do feel a bit pressured during interviews. I’m not drinking milk these days. Each game requires a different approach. To stay injury-free, I need to focus on my fitness. The support from senior players and the coaching staff has been tremendous, creating a positive environment," Sooryavanshi shared after receiving the Most Valuable Player award.

RCB Secures Second IPL Title

In the IPL 2026 final, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batted first against Gujarat Titans (GT), scoring 155 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs. Washington Sundar was the standout performer with a score of 50 not out off 37 balls, while Nishant Sindhu contributed 20 runs. Rasikh Dar Salam (3/27), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29), and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) consistently took wickets.

RCB began strongly with a partnership of 62 runs between Venkatesh Iyer (32 off 16 balls) and Virat Kohli. Although GT fought back, reducing RCB to 132/5, Kohli's unbeaten 75 off 42 balls led RCB to victory with two overs remaining.

This victory marks RCB's second IPL title and their fourth overall in Indian franchise cricket, which includes two Women's Premier League (WPL) titles.