March 30 After a historic debut, the prodigious Vaibhav Sooryavanshi returns for his second IPL season with the Rajasthan Royals, aiming to dominate bowlers and excel in the powerplay.
Sooryavanshi, who played seven matches for RR last season, scoring 252 runs, including a blistering century in 35 balls and a strike rate exceeding 200, established himself as a rising star in Indian cricket.
He stated that after dominating the powerplay, his goal is to maximize his wicket and push the team's score towards 200, making it difficult for opponents to chase.
"When I was selected, my only goal was to give the team a strong start. I wanted to play my game in the Powerplay, and if I got a good start, I wanted to continue and score big runs without losing my wicket," Sooryavanshi told JioStar.
"I knew that if I played my shots, the game scenario would change, because chasing 200-plus runs would not be easy for any team. This season, the goal is to win the trophy for the team. If we win the trophy, my performances and the team's performances will automatically be highlighted, and that is the most important thing," said the youngest IPL debutant, who also scored 175 in the 2026 U-19 World Cup final earlier this year.
Sooryavanshi revealed that the two cricketers he admired most growing up were West Indies legend Brian Lara and India's World Cup-winning great Yuvraj Singh – one renowned for crafting match-winning Test innings and the other for decimating opposition bowlers with fearless strokeplay.
"I saw both, Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh, finish matches single-handedly. If they were in, there was no chance for the opponent to come back into the game, and that was something I really liked about them. I made a lot of runs in domestic cricket for Bihar, in league games and probables," he said.
Sooryavanshi's childhood coach, Manish Ojha, said what stood out for him when he joined the academy was his fearless attacking intent and impeccable timing.
"In 2018, he came to the academy...it was clear he had potential and a real passion for cricket. He always liked to attack while batting and had beautiful timing. In every session, he would play 400-500 balls and wouldn't stop unless I gave him a break.
"In 2022, during the open net sessions, he was given a 40-over slot to bat, 20 overs from new-ball bowlers and then spinners. I noticed he preferred to play only big, lofted shots," said Ojha.
"I told him...if you go for a big shot on every ball and ignore singles or doubles, you increase your chances of getting out. But he would say, 'Sir, if I can hit a six on that ball, why take a single?'"
