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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been in tremendous form in IPL 2026, with a hundred and two fifty-plus scores already to his name. His century came in 36 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Jaipur.
Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi celebrates after reaching his century against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL2026. (REUTERS)There is no stopping Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). After finishing last year on a high, the Rajasthan Royals opener is continuing in the same vein, giving the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Virat Kohli, Sanju Samson and others a run for their money in the race for the Orange Cap in IPL 2026.
Having already plundered the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Jofra Archer and many more, Sooryavanshi on Saturday once again showed why he is rated so highly in just a short span of time, smashing a 36-ball hundred in Jaipur against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium - the ground where he has scored his first last year.
Such has been his impact that a few former cricketers even asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to fast-track the 15-year-old in the Indian senior team men's dressing room. For the unversed, Australian captain and skipper of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pat Cummins called Sooryavanshi his “new favourite player.”
Amid all these, former West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite thought differently for Sooryavanshi. Instead of fast-tracking the Rajasthan Royals opener into the Indian team straightaway, Brathwaite wants Sooryavanshi to get hold of the pressure and atmosphere at the top level before handing him a senior Indian team debut cap.
Rather, Brathwaite, the hero of West Indies' T20 World Cup-winning campaign in 2016, wants Sooryavanshi to be treated just like legendary Brian Lara during his initial day. Just like Sooryavanshi, Lara was described as the next big thing in West Indies long before his debut. As a result, Lara was made to spend time with the likes of legends Sir Viv Richards and others.
“I apologise, Vaibhav, but if you look at how the West Indies handled Brian Lara," Braithwaite told ESPNcricinfo. "He was a generational talent, everyone knew. So what did the West Indies do? They put him in the mix with Viv Richards and whatnot, but he didn't play international cricket.
"That was a different time with loads of tour games, and he cut his teeth with the senior players without having made his debut. So maybe there is the best of both worlds - where you can have him with the Indian team - learn from Virat Kohli, learn from Rohit Sharma, learn from Suryakumar Yadav.
"There are younger players that are close to him in age that he can learn from, before just throwing him in the deep end," added Braithwaite. Interestingly, Lara is one of the two idols of Sooryavanshi.
About the Author
Koushik Paul
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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