As Rajasthan Royals bowed out at the penultimate stage of their IPL 2026 title pursuit, head coach Kumar Sangakkara could not have been prouder of how his players performed throughout the season, making it all the way to Qualifier 2. However, it was Gujarat Titans who had the last laugh on Friday, securing a seven-wicket victory to march into the final.
At the post-match press conference, Sangakkara was posed the question that has been on every cricket fan’s lips: is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ready for a senior India call-up? The former Sri Lanka captain did not hold back, delivering a response that was both thoughtful and telling.
‘He’s more than ready’: Sangakkara backs Sooryavanshi for India call-up
Sangakkara, who has been associated with Rajasthan since 2021, acknowledged that one can never truly know whether a player is ready for international cricket until they actually step onto that stage. But when it comes to Sooryavanshi, having watched the teenager dismantle some of the finest bowlers in the world throughout this IPL, the legendary coach is firmly leaning towards yes.
“I think you never know if anyone’s ready until they play. With everything Vaibhav’s shown against some of the best bowlers in the world, I think he’s more than ready to take on any challenge that you throw at him. And I’m sure that he’ll get that call-up very, very soon. He’s batted with a lot of maturity. He shouldered the responsibility of that opening partnership so well for us this season,” Sangakkara said.
Rajasthan Royals coach explains what makes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi special
The former Sri Lanka captain’s comments underline the extraordinary growth Sooryavanshi has shown during IPL 2026. Despite his age, the youngster has consistently displayed maturity, game awareness, and the ability to handle pressure against world-class bowling attacks.
How Rajasthan Royals are protecting their teenage star from social media pressure
Sangakkara was further asked how he and the rest of the Rajasthan support staff protect Vaibhav from the noise of social media, given the damaging effect it can have on any player, and particularly on a teenager still finding his footing in the spotlight.
“We’ve got a good plan around him. We don’t clutter his mind too much. He comes to all our team meetings, he contributes, he listens, and he does a lot of homework. He practises well, and he reads bowlers well. He watches their videos and prepares himself really well. So, we don’t want to put any unnecessary thoughts into his head. I think a clear mind, batting with that courage, is exactly what we want to see from him,” he said.
Orange Cap holder signs off after a sensational IPL 2026 season
Sooryavanshi brings the curtain down on his IPL 2026 campaign with the Orange Cap sitting proudly on his head, having accumulated 776 runs across 16 matches. However, Shubman Gill with 722 runs and Sai Sudarshan with 710 still have the opportunity to overtake the Rajasthan Royals star at the top of the run-scoring charts when they take the field in the final on Sunday.
