Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Shines as Rajasthan Royals Triumph Over RCB in IPL 2026
Rajasthan Royals Celebrate Victory with Young Star
In Guwahati, Assam, on April 11, Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Riyan Parag expressed his admiration for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who played a pivotal role in the team's six-wicket victory against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) during their IPL 2026 match on Friday.
Chasing a target of 202 runs, RR was propelled by an explosive 78 runs off just 26 balls from Sooryavanshi, alongside an unbeaten 81 from Dhruv Jurel. Sooryavanshi's innings included an impressive eight fours and seven sixes, earning him the IPL 2026 Orange Cap for accumulating 200 runs in just four matches.
During the post-match presentation, Parag highlighted Sooryavanshi's cheerful personality, noting that he is well-liked among teammates. He mentioned that the young player enjoys dining out and the team ensures he has access to his favorite foods as long as he continues to perform well.
"Everyone loves having him around. He enjoys food and outings, so we make sure he has that. At just 15, he still has a youthful spirit. If he keeps batting like this, we will provide him with whatever he wants," Parag remarked.
Reflecting on the match, Parag stated that RR's performance was significantly improved compared to previous seasons at this venue, particularly in their bowling and overall execution. He believed that RCB's score of 201 was about 20 runs higher than par, suggesting they should have limited RCB to around 170 runs.
Parag acknowledged that RR had made some errors by giving batters too much space but emphasized that the team had adequately prepared for the conditions in Guwahati and Jaipur. He expressed confidence that RR would adapt well to various pitches and perform even better on batting-friendly surfaces.
"In previous years, we struggled here, but today we were clinical. We would have accepted 200 runs but felt it was 20 runs too many. This pitch doesn't typically allow for many sixes off spinners. We gave batters too much room, but we prepared well for the conditions," he explained.
"We were ready for any home game. Although it didn't feel like a home game, we were well-prepared. Our goal this season was to be a team that can assess and adapt effectively. Once we get a good pitch, we will excel even more," he added.
With this victory, Rajasthan Royals secured their fourth consecutive win, while RCB faced their first defeat of the season. RR's chase was bolstered by Sooryavanshi's explosive innings and Jurel's steady performance, with Ravindra Jadeja contributing an unbeaten 24 runs as the team reached the target in just 18 overs.
Earlier, RCB had set a challenging total of 201/8, led by captain Rajat Patidar's 63 runs and a late surge from Venkatesh Iyer. Despite early breakthroughs from Jofra Archer and Ravi Bishnoi, RCB managed to surpass the 200-run mark, but it fell short against RR's formidable batting display.