Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the entire Rajasthan Royals squad travelled from Mumbai to Mullanpur ahead of their all-important Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday. And as expected, the boy wonder was the centre of attention, with paparazzi eager to capture him at every opportunity. However, a reaction from captain Riyan Parag stole the show, leaving Sooryavanshi speechless.
The players had just arrived when one of the photographers asked Parag, “Sir, would you please take a photo with Vaibhav?” Parag replied, “We aren’t film stars,” before walking away from the frame. Sooryavanshi was left stunned and responded with a funny expression directed at his captain.
Watch the clip below:
This incident, however, has no impact on their relationship. If anything, Parag has consistently backed the youngster. Sooryavanshi was even seen seeking the blessings of Riyan’s father. And why not? What Sooryavanshi has achieved in such a short span is extraordinary. He became the youngest player to score 500 runs in a single IPL season and has emerged as one of the biggest attractions of IPL 2026. As Michael Vaughan put it, Sooryavanshi’s ability to draw crowds is remarkable, and it has been rewarding to watch him break records and smash sixes at will.
Sooryavanshi finished the league stage with 583 runs from 14 matches, the fifth-highest tally this season. He is six sixes away from equalling Chris Gayle’s record for the most sixes in a single IPL season and seven away from breaking it. With at least one more game remaining, Sooryavanshi promises another captivating show. If RR win, he could get two more opportunities, including the final.
Sooryavanshi’s legend grows
Sooryavanshi has already done things rarely seen before. Much like Sachin Tendulkar announcing himself by taking on Abdul Qadir in the late 1980s, Sooryavanshi has shown no mercy to Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Kagiso Rabada and Mitchell Starc, the who’s who of fast bowling. With RR finally getting hold of a superstar, there could be no better stage for Sooryavanshi to lead them into another IPL final and potentially their first title since 2008.
With three fifties and a century, Sooryavanshi has already made a massive impact. And as he pointed out, his next goal is to achieve what no batter has ever done in T20 cricket: score the format’s first-ever double century and surpass Chris Gayle’s iconic 175-run blitz. Sooryavanshi has come close twice before, with knocks of 190 and 175, although both came in the 50-over format. However, the way he is progressing, if there is one player capable of pulling it off, it is him.
