Rajasthan Royals (RR) starlet Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was seen enjoying the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) Final from the VIP box whilst sitting next to the current Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Jay Shah, on Sunday, May 31.
Sooryavanshi enjoyed a breakout IPL season, only to end the tournament on the losing side in Qualifier 2, where the Royals suffered defeat to the Gujarat Titans (GT). The 15-year-old ended the tournament with a whopping 776 runs at an average of 48.50, whilst
striking at 237.30.
The left-handed batter is expected to win multiple individual accolades after the Final, which explains why he is the only RR player in attendance at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. He was sitting next to Jay Shah and IPL Chair Arun Singh Dhumal, along with other Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) delegates.
With both Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan failing to post a huge score on the board, Sooryavanshi is all but guaranteed to end the 2026 season with the Orange Cap. The opening batter has mesmerised crowds across the country, scoring one century and three scores in the 90s in the tournament.
Along with the Orange Cap, it is also very likely that Sooryavashi will be named the Emerging Player award. An accolade given to celebrate up-and-coming talent, the RR teenager has shown every sign of being a star of the future. He is also expected to make his India debut in the coming months when the Men in Blue commence with their international commitments after the IPL. The hard-hitting batter's first task following the 20-over tournament will be to travel to Sri Lanka to compete in a tri-series with the India A squad.
The 2026 IPL Final, played between the Titans and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has become a contest where both sides are looking to join the Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders as only the fourth side to win multiple trophies.
