A coach for Rajasthan Royals recalls a striking moment during an IPL season training session in 2025. With Jofra Archer ready to bowl at full intensity, most batters shied away from facing him, fearing injury before a match. However, it was noted that one young player consistently volunteered: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
At just 15 years old, Sooryavanshi was already demonstrating a level of courage and eagerness that set him apart. While Rajasthan Royals kept him under wraps initially, impressed by his abilities, it was an injury to Sanju Samson that eventually paved the way for his IPL debut. He made an immediate impact, famously starting his first innings with a six off the first ball.
The coach first noticed Sooryavanshi during trials, instantly captivated by his natural, powerful batswing. "The way the bat comes down, I hadn't seen anything like that before," the coach told. "In the trials, there were pretty decent bowlers bowling. There were some throwdown guys throwing pretty fast. And this kid was comfortably hitting everybody out of the ground."
Once Rajasthan Royals secured his signature, their focus extended beyond providing a supportive environment. A key priority was preserving Sooryavanshi's natural technique. "We just reassured him… told him again and again that he will not need to change anything [technically]. He always had this [batswing]. It is something natural," the coach explained. "We just basically kept telling him that whatever happens, whatever he does with his batting, never to change this part of it because this is what gives him strength."
Sooryavanshi's dedication to batting was evident throughout the season. The coach observed that even after establishing himself and becoming a prominent figure, the young batter remained intensely focused on honing his skills in the nets. "He loves to bat, he loves to hit sixes. But he is smart as well. He knows what he is doing in the nets. He is not just going there and hitting," the coach added.
In the 2025 season, Sooryavanshi amassed 252 runs across seven matches with an exceptional strike rate of 206.55. His performance earned him the opener's spot, even pushing Sanju Samson to No. 3 upon his return from injury, before Samson was eventually traded to CSK. Heading into his second IPL season, Sooryavanshi and the Royals anticipated bowlers would develop specific plans against him.
The coach discussed potential strategies with Sooryavanshi, including bowlers targeting him with short balls, fuller deliveries with the new ball, or wider lines. "We could see from last year that people might go short to him. They might go fuller with the new ball. And they might go wider. Those three things were discussed and he was practicing them in the nets," the coach said. To simulate these challenges, the coach would set up fielding positions with three fielders in the deep on the leg side, encouraging Sooryavanshi to find solutions.
A notable instance occurred when Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Praful Hinge employed a short-ball tactic, resulting in Sooryavanshi top-edging the ball in the first over. Hinge reportedly boasted about his plan. Less than two weeks later, in a rematch against SRH, Sooryavanshi responded emphatically. When Hinge again bowled short, Sooryavanshi hit four sixes in the opening over, finishing with a blistering 103 off 37 balls. This performance served as a clear message that his batting was not easily predictable.
Beyond sheer power, Sooryavanshi demonstrated remarkable adaptability. The coach noted his ability to duck under bouncers, play the uppercut, and execute cuts over point. "He is not a one-dimensional player," the coach stated. "He doesn't just play one way. Which can sometimes be the case with young kids. 'This is the way I play. This is how I have been successful. I am going to play only like this.' That is one thing that really again stands out with him. He is willing to adapt. Even with that, he is still scoring at a strike-rate of 200."
Sooryavanshi's success is also attributed to his proactive approach to problem-solving. The coach described him as a player with multiple options ready for any delivery, unlike many young cricketers who might have only one response. "Cricket for me is a premeditated sport. If somebody bowls a bouncer, somebody bowls a yorker, what I am going to do? And every decent player will have one option ready… A special player like Sooryavanshi has maybe four or five [shot] options ready," the coach explained.
Before matches, Sooryavanshi would actively discuss potential bowler strategies. His extensive viewing of cricket videos equipped him with foresight. The coach would ask him what he expected from bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, and Sooryavanshi consistently had well-thought-out answers.
In RR's third game of the current season, Sooryavanshi faced Bumrah and hit him for a six off the first ball, showcasing his preparedness. The coach expressed no concern about him handling high-profile pacers, citing his ability to hit throw-down specialists bowling over 150 kmph during training camps.
Kumar Sangakkara commented on Sooryavanshi's confidence during a chase against LSG, where the young batter declared he would hit 13 sixes to win the match. He hit 10, helping RR chase down 220/5. In his first IPL playoff fixture against SRH, he was close to breaking Chris Gayle's record for the fastest IPL hundred. The coach had recognized early on that Sooryavanshi's temperament would not be weighed down by the magnitude of any occasion.
"Every time you speak to him, he sounds like somebody who knows what he's going to do and has things under control. 'You don't worry, sir, I'll do this'. 'Don't worry, I'll bring this or I'll chase this or we'll do this'. That's the kind of language that you keep hearing from him," the coach shared.
Sooryavanshi's international career also began impressively, with a six off Archer and becoming the youngest to score a T20I fifty against Zimbabwe. If his current trajectory continues, he is poised for further records, and comparisons to Sachin Tendulkar are already emerging. The coach, who played alongside Tendulkar, sees the potential.
As Sooryavanshi and the coach prepare for the next IPL season, two things are expected to remain constant: the young batter's distinctive batswing and his unfazed mental approach.
Once they put their money where their mouth was and outmuscled competition for his signature, RR's responsibility extended well beyond just creating the right environment for a precocious 14 year old stepping into a senior dressing room. More than anything else, the franchise and its support staff wanted to make sure h
In 2025, Sooryavanshi may not have had a matchday to look forward to early on but his itch to bat in the nets didn't waver even after he established himself in the backend of the season and emerged as the poster boy of 2026. As Rathour has seen through countless sessions with him, and many other India batters before in
