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The IPL 2026 journey came to an end for Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Thursday after a seven-wicket defeat against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 2 at New Chandigarh. Despite the disappointing result, the tournament once again belonged to teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who produced another dazzling innings under pressure and capped off a breakthrough campaign in style.
Following the match, Rajasthan Royals head coach and director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara reflected on the youngster’s incredible rise and spoke about what the future could hold for one of the most exciting talents in world cricket.
Kumar Sangakkara backs Vaibhav Suryavanshi for higher honours
Suryavanshi once again showcased his class against Gujarat Titans, smashing 96 off just 47 deliveries in a challenging Qualifier 2 encounter. The 15-year-old finished IPL 2026 with the Orange Cap and signed off with three scores above 90 in his last four innings, further cementing his status as one of the breakout stars of the season.
Speaking after the match, Sangakkara heaped praise on the young batter and expressed confidence that bigger opportunities could soon come his way. The former Sri Lanka captain also highlighted the maturity shown by Suryavanshi throughout the tournament and praised the way he adapted to different match situations.
“You never know if anyone’s ready until they’ve played, and with everything Vaibhav has shown against some of the best bowlers in the world, I think he’s more than ready to take on any challenge that you throw at him and I’m sure that he’ll get that call-up very, very soon. We are very, very proud of him. We want to make sure that he keeps going, keeps that intent, keeps that no-fear attitude and keeps growing,” Sangakkara said.
How Rajasthan Royals are managing Suryavanshi’s development?
Sangakkara revealed that Rajasthan Royals have put together a long-term plan for the teenage sensation and are focused on ensuring his growth remains uninterrupted beyond IPL 2026. The Royals coach also confirmed that the franchise will continue monitoring Suryavanshi closely during the off-season.
“I think we’ve got a good plan around him. We don’t clutter his mind too much. He comes to all our team meetings, he contributes, he listens and he does a lot of homework. He practises well and he reads the ball as well. He watches videos and prepares himself really well. So, we don’t want to put any unnecessary thoughts into his head. I think a clear mind, batting with that courage, is exactly what we want to see of him. We’ll sit down with our medical team and then go through what he might need and then support him. We’ll run our camps, he’ll have enough practice opportunities in Nagpur with us. So, we’ll be keeping a very close eye, not just on Vaibhav but all our players,” Sangakkara said.
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Suryavanshi shines despite RR’s Qualifier 2 exit
Although Rajasthan Royals fell short of reaching the IPL 2026 final, Suryavanshi once again stood tall with the bat. Chasing a place in the title clash, RR posted 214/6 after the teenager’s magnificent 96-run knock, but Gujarat Titans successfully chased down the target with Shubman Gill scoring a century and Sai Sudharsan a half-century.
Suryavanshi ended the season with 776 runs at a strike rate of over 237, establishing himself as one of the most destructive batters in IPL history. With Sangakkara publicly backing him for international cricket, the youngster’s performances have only strengthened the growing calls for an India opportunity in the near future.
