Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was left distraught on Sunday after the Rajasthan Royals suffered their second defeat in IPL 2026. The 2008 champions went down to the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens by four wickets, missing the chance to climb to the top of the points table.
The 15-year-old scored a brisk 28-ball 46, laced with six boundaries and two sixes, on a tricky surface. However, a poor middle-order effort saw Rajasthan slip to 155 for nine in 20 overs.
Kolkata endured a disastrous start to the chase, losing both openers for ducks inside two overs, before a middle-order wobble left them in trouble. But riding on an early reprieve, vice-captain Rinku Singh anchored the innings with a composed 34-ball 53, guiding the hosts to their first win of the season with two balls to spare.
After the defeat, Sooryavanshi was spotted in tears behind the sightscreen, visibly shaken before being consoled by a KKR support staff member. Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder then stepped in and offered the teenager his phone, possibly to call home. Though initially reluctant, Sooryavanshi eventually accepted and was seen speaking on it.
In moments like these, it is often family that offers the greatest comfort, and Sooryavanshi perhaps found some solace in their words.
Rajasthan are currently in the third position in the points table, with four wins in six games thus far in the season. They will play their next game against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on April 22.
Sooryavanshi has been central to Rajasthan’s impressive run this season. While there were concerns around a potential second-season slump, the young Bihar batter has continued to deliver, living up to the expectations that have followed him since his IPL debut last year.
He has now scored 246 runs and sits fourth in the run charts, firmly in contention for the Orange Cap. That run tally includes two sixes against Jasprit Bumrah and a 19-run over against Josh Hazlewood, which led to speculation that BCCI selectors consider him ready for international cricket. Going by a PTI report published last week, he is expected to make his T20I debut for India after the IPL 2026 season.
