Rajasthan Royals will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign against the Chennai Super Kings on March 30.
After a record-breaking debut season in the last edition of the Indian Premier League, the teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is all set to set the stage ablaze in the upcoming IPL 2026. But this time, the 14-year-old would be under the pressure of high expectations as well as strong media scrutiny.
The newly appointed Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Riyan Parag has admitted that the prodigy could come under the pressure of excessive media hype, especially after continuing his scorching-hot form throughout the past year. But as a captain, Parag would instruct the batter to enjoy his second season in the league.
He noted that Vaibhav will be assigned to play his natural game and take on the bowlers from the very first ball, while Yashasvi Jaiswal would hold the other end to construct the innings.
“This year, there will be hype and pressure naturally, but as a captain, I will tell him to let Jaiswal take the pressure. Jaiswal is more than capable of handling that. For Vaibhav, the role will be just to go, hit, and not to worry,” he stated in a media interaction.
“I will tell him not to do many press conferences, not interact with the media much, just enjoy,” added the skipper.
ALSO READ:
The wonder kid had already made the headlines with his blazing heroics in the debut IPL season. Replacing their former captain Sanju Samson in RR’s playing XI, the southpaw scored 252 runs in seven fixtures, striking at an astonishing rate of 206.55. The spectacular display was also laced with a jaw-dropping hundred off just 35 balls.
Following this, Vaibhav has also played some impactful knocks for India’s Under 19 team across formats. He was also instrumental in the nation’s record sixth-time victory in the latest ICC U19 World Cup 2026. The opener’s whirlwind 175-run knock off only 80 deliveries had set the tone for the massive total of 411 in the one-day tournament final.
Coming into the IPL 2026, the RR youngster would want to continue a similar form to provide some smashing starts to the franchise. Multiple botched chases and a sub-par show had resulted in a ninth-place finish for the Royals last season. But with a new captain at the helm, backed by a young squad, the inaugural champions would be keen to make a strong comeback.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
