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.

Former India captain Anjum Chopra believes that English conditions are no longer unfamiliar territory for the Indian women’s team and feels they will start as favourites at the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. India will begin their campaign against Pakistan in Birmingham on June 14.

Chopra also suggested that the Indian team management may need to adopt greater flexibility in its batting order to maximize the squad’s strengths. A major boost for the team has been the return of Yastika Bhatia after a lengthy injury layoff. The wicketkeeper-batter made an immediate impact on her comeback, scoring 54 runs in the opening T20I against England.

“For Nandini (Sharma), yes, she is playing there. But in a very small career of Shree Charani, this is her second tour to England in less than 12 months. For me, India will always remain one of the favourite sides. Obviously, I want them there. Not only in the top four. I want them in the top two and then the top team,” said Chopra as quoted by NDTV Sports.

“It’s very good that she (Yastika) is scoring runs and she scored in the first T20. Though she missed out on a long innings in the second. But what it also does is that it’s not about just balancing out Jemmy and Harman and Yastika. I think the Indian team will probably need to be a little more open about flexibility in the batting order,” she added.

India have been placed in a tough Group 1 alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Netherlands, with only the top two teams advancing to the semifinals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Chopra acknowledged that the group presents a significant challenge and warned that qualification will be far from straightforward. She emphasised that India’s ability to adapt to different match situations, conditions, and opponents will be crucial if they are to secure a place in the knockout stages.

“I am not saying that they will not be because right now, it’s just a series against England. But in less than a couple of weeks they will play their first World Cup game, I feel there needs to be a little more adaptability to the flexibility,” said Chopra.

“Even Pakistan has been playing some very good cricket. And India does not know how the Netherlands would come out. They’ve also made it to the World Cup. And why should we just forget the fact that there is an Australian team and a South African team in the same pool. So, only two of the teams can qualify for the semi-finals from that pool. So, it’s not going to be very easy,” he added.

Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was one of the most instrumental figures in helping the Royal Challengers Bengaluru win the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 title. The experienced bowler ended a remarkable season for the franchise with 28 wickets to his name in 16 matches. He was not only the highest wicket-taker for his franchise but also the second-highest overall, marginally behind Kagiso Rabada’s tally of 29.

After RCB won the final to lift their second consecutive title, Bhuvneshwar reflected on his individual performances in the season and how he became a forming part of an attacking bowling unit alongside Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, and Jacob Duffy. 

“As a senior player, you naturally enjoy that responsibility more when you’re contributing well yourself because confidence allows you to help others more effectively. When it comes to young bowlers like Rasikh, senior players can guide and support them, but a lot of the credit has to go to the players themselves,” Bhuvneshwar Kumar was quoted as saying by JioStar after the final.

Furthermore, the skilled medium pacer also shed light on how the youngsters within the RCB camp are dedicated to improving their craft while sharing the wisdom alongside Hazlewood. He also mentioned the contribution of Yash Dayal in the 2025 season, when RCB won their maiden title. Bhuvneshwar mentioned that Dayal’s void was filled perfectly by Rasikh in the nineteenth edition of the marquee tournament.

“Their willingness to learn, their dedication, and the effort they put into improving are what ultimately make the difference. They’ve not only learned from experienced players in the group but also from someone like Josh Hazlewood and the coaching staff. Yash Dayal did an excellent job last season, and this year Rasikh stepped up and embraced that responsibility as well. Their growth has been a huge positive for the team,” the Meerut-born added.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar in IPL 2026