Vaibhav Sooryavanshi recently shared a heartfelt memory, recalling how his father used to narrate stories about India great Sunil Gavaskar. The 15-year-old prodigy proved that age is just a number, emerging as the leading run-scorer of IPL 2026. Amassing 776 runs in 16 matches, the Bihar-born batter played a pivotal role in Rajasthan Royals’ campaign, as they progressed to Qualifier 2 before falling short of a place in the final. With his fearless approach and clean hitting, Sooryavanshi has also became as an inspiration for many aspiring cricketers.
During the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Gujarat Titans, Sooryavanshi recalled an anecdote from his early days. He spoke about how his father told him stories of Gavaskar, particularly how the legendary opener faced the fearsome West Indies pacers without wearing a helmet.
“I have learned a lot from this season. I have seen a lot on and off the field. I have to work a lot on myself, improve, if I have to play for a long time. I will focus on that. I had made notes on my phone. I wrote that I wanted to score 700 runs this IPL season. After every match, I noted down my score against each team,” said Sooryavanshi in JioStar.
While standing next to Gavaskar, Sooryavanshi said, “Already, my father has told me a lot about you. When I used to practice on a cement wicket near my house, made by my father, he used to stand behind the nets. My height was not as much as it is today when I was very small. So, when I used to play a couple of good shots against bowlers, they bowled bouncers at me.”
“I got frustrated a bit when they bowled bouncers, and he used to narrate your stories. He said, ‘There was a legend from our times. He used to pull the deadly bowlers of the West Indies for sixes without wearing a helmet’. That motivated me a lot. He kept on talking about you.”
Notably, Sooryavanshi’s fearless approach against fiery fast bowlers has become a major talking point. Earlier in IPL 2025, he had smashed a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans, taking on bowlers like Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj with remarkable confidence.
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