Ahmedabad, June 2 (IANS) Rajasthan Royals batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi revealed that scoring 700 runs in IPL 2026 was a personal target he had written down in his notes before the tournament, after the teenage prodigy swept the major individual honours following a record-breaking campaign.

While Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained the IPL title with a five-wicket victory over the Gujarat Titans in Sunday’s final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the 15-year-old Sooryavanshi emerged as the undisputed star of the season, collecting five awards at the post-match presentation ceremony.

The youngster finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 776 runs to claim the Orange Cap and was also named the Most Valuable Player and Emerging Player of the Season. He further won the Super Striker award with a remarkable strike rate of 237.31 and the Super Sixes award after smashing a record 72 sixes during the season.

Speaking in a video released by the IPL on X, Sooryavanshi disclosed that his extraordinary season was the fulfilment of a goal he had set for himself months earlier.

“Actually, in my phone notes, I mentioned that I wanted to score 700 runs in the IPL. I still have it in my phone. After every match, I was mentioning the score below and the team I was playing against. That was my personal goal, and I achieved it,” he said.

The teenager admitted that winning the Orange Cap was something he once only dreamed about while watching IPL matches on television.

“It feels good when I watch matches on TV. I used to see that a player got an Orange Cap. Even I used to think that at least I should touch it and see how it is. But God has done all this for me. He has given me a lot of blessings, and I am very grateful for this. It is a proud moment for me personally and for my family,” Sooryavanshi said.

Despite his remarkable achievements, the young batter remained focused on improving further and helping Rajasthan Royals challenge for the title next season.

“This year we made a very good comeback. Hopefully, next year we will play the final and win it. Personally, I am very happy that I achieved a lot and learned a lot. I will try to carry this forward next year,” he added.

Sooryavanshi also hailed the IPL as the ideal platform for young cricketers and domestic players to showcase their talent on the biggest stage.

“I would like to thank the entire BCCI. The IPL is the number one league in the world of cricket without any doubt. It is a very good platform for youngsters and domestic players to show their talent,” he said.

Looking beyond the IPL, the teenager outlined his long-term ambitions. “I want to play in the IPL for as long as possible. I want to represent India for a long time. I want to achieve a lot for myself and my family. Whether it is domestic cricket, IPL or India, I want to contribute to every team that I play for,” he said.

–IANS

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