Rajkumar Sharma, who was Virat Kohli’s coach during his childhood days, called Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a special cricketer and explained what makes him stand out from other players of his age.

Sooryavanshi took the cricket fraternity by storm during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, as he finished with a whopping 776 runs in 16 innings at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 237.31. He won the Orange Cap and also became the Most Valuable Player (MVP).

“Well, he is an exceptional talent undoubtedly. I mean, the way he has played in this IPL is remarkable. The way he has hit all the first-class, international and world-class bowlers, that is commendable and I must say that he is a special talent. I really find Vaibhav very good. The type of fearless cricket he plays and the way he has hit world-class bowlers is commendable. The way he has hit those sixes is just unbelievable, for T20 cricket, he is just brilliant,” Sharma was quoted as saying by India Today.

Sharma said that Sooryavanshi shouldn’t change his game while playing T20 cricket as everything is working well for him. However, he refused to comment on the 15-year-old’s future in Test cricket as he hasn’t seen much of him till now.

“Since he is playing T20, I would say don’t change anything. Just go and play like this, the way you are playing. You are playing tremendous cricket and the way you are hitting, keep on hitting the ball and entertaining the people. When it comes to playing Test cricket, I haven’t seen enough of him to judge how mature he is, how he can change his game, how he can leave the ball outside the off stump or how he can play swing bowling. But for now, I want him to continue the way he is playing,” Sharma stated.

Sharma, however, urged caution when it came to comparisons with Kohli, who he has seen from close quarters since the legendary batter’s childhood days.

“I don’t believe in comparing people. What Virat has done in the last 18 years, I mean it’s a very long period that he has been so consistent. But looking at Vaibhav, he looks very good, a very talented guy and he has got good temperament also, which he showed in the last game. So, I mean he is a brilliant talent undoubtedly, but we have just seen him playing in this format only. We are yet to see him play in bigger formats, maybe Test cricket or One-Day cricket,” Sharma explained.

“Virat is a different player (from Sooryavanshi). He is a legend now. He is a great player, which he has proved by winning so many matches. No Indian has won as many matches for India as Virat has, and that is why he is loved so much. Here we see a rising star (Sooryavanshi) and we really love to see him grow,” he added.

Sharma also mentioned that Sooryavanshi’s fitness should not be viewed as a concern and he will only get better as his career progresses.

“No, fitness will come. He is still a baby and he has got superpower. That is the brilliant thing about him,” Sharma said.

Suryakumar Yadav has been reportedly sacked from his role as India’s T20I captain. If the report is true, this could be a significant development, as the 35-year-old had led India to the T20 World Cup title just before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

According to The Indian Express, Suryakumar has been stripped of captaincy and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in consultation with the team management and selection committee, will appoint a new captain for the next cycle. The report also mentions that Suryakumar will be losing his place in the side after struggling with the bat since last year.

“The selection committee, BCCI and team management, in consultation with coach Gautam Gambhir, have decided that India should go with a new skipper from here on. Under Surya’s captaincy, the team did win the T20 World Cup but keeping his form and future in mind, they felt it’s time to move on. He won’t be considered for selection, and the decision will be conveyed to Surya soon,” a top BCCI official told the aforementioned news portal.

India’s upcoming assignment in the shortest format is a two-match T20I series against Ireland. This will be followed by five T20Is against the Three Lions in England.

Who could replace Suryakumar?

Suryakumar could be succeeded by Shreyas Iyer, who is the frontrunner for the captain’s role. However, Tilak Varma has also emerged as a strong contender after his impressive performances for India during the Asia Cup last year and the T20 World Cup this year.

It is intriguing to note that Shreyas hasn’t represented India in T20I cricket since December 2023. However, he has impressed fans as well as critics with his captaincy skills, especially in the last three seasons of the IPL.

Axar Patel, who was the vice-captain of the Indian team during the T20 World Cup, didn’t have a great stint as the skipper of the Delhi Capitals. It seems unlikely that he would be promoted to the captain’s role in the Indian team.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has become a household name now with his exemplary performances with the bat during the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The Bihar batter turned 15 years old one day before the start of the tournament and celebrated it by smashing bowlers all over the park over the next few weeks.

Sooryavanshi eventually finished the campaign with a staggering 776 runs in 16 matches at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 237.31. In the Eliminator, he smashed 97 off 29 balls and followed it up with a 47-ball 96 in Qualifier 2. The southpaw earned rich praise from the legendary Sachin Tendulkar after his heroics during the season.

The Master Blaster said that Sooryavanshi managed to have an influence on matches that extended beyond the runs he scored. Tendulkar opined that opposition teams were planning to get him out and fans were waiting for him to go berserk with his scintillating range of ball striking.

“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had an influence on games that went beyond the runs he scored. Oppositions were thinking about him, teams were planning for him, and fans were waiting for him long before he arrived at the crease,” Tendulkar wrote in a Reddit post.

“His ability to score rapidly in both the Eliminator and the Qualifier showed that his intent remained unchanged, even as the pressure increased. More importantly, his batting seemed to give Rajasthan Royals an added sense of belief every time he walked out to the middle,” the highest run-scorer in international cricket added.

Sooryavanshi broke Chris Gayle’s record for the most sixes in a single season of the IPL. The Caribbean legend had hit 59 sixes in IPL 2012. However, Sooryavanshi better that record convincingly, belting a staggering 72 sixes. The Tajpur-born won the Orange Cap, MVP (Most Valuable Player) award, Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season, and Super Sixes of the Season.