New Delhi: Young batting sensation Vibhu Suryavanshi was at his devastating best throughout IPL 2026, dispatching some of the world’s top bowlers into the stands with ease. Known for his fearless style and explosive strokeplay, the youngster kept the scoreboard moving at a breathtaking pace while the bowlers struggled to contain him.Suryavanshi was adjudged the most valuable player of the tournament after scoring 776 runs in 16 innings at an average of 48.50 and an astonishing strike rate of 237.30. His season included a century and five fifties, earning him the Orange Cap. gave Rajasthan Royals The opener rewrote the record books by hitting an astonishing 72 maximum sixes during IPL 2026, eclipsing Chris Gayle’s previous IPL record of 59 sixes in a season.Although Rajasthan Royals’ campaign ended with a defeat in Qualifier 2, Suryavanshi dominated the awards ceremony. He walked away with the Most Valuable Player award, Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season, Orange Cap, and Super Six of the Season accolades.After collecting several awards, the former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin He joked that Suryavanshi missed out on the only award which was for hitting the most fours in the tournament.Responding to Ashwin, Suryavanshi expressed his desire to excel in the longest format of the game as well.“Yes, I will have to play on the ground as the next assignment is in the one-day format. I have practiced a lot with the red ball, but no one has seen me do it, but they will soon,” Suryavanshi said.“People think I like to hit every ball, but this is the T20 format, and the coaches give me a free hand to fire all the guns. And I just hit the ball because I know I can hit them, and it’s not out of compulsion.”“I want to play Test cricket, obviously, because my father also taught me that it is the ultimate format, and I have played it too. I have played a lot of games though. I have played Ranji Trophy cricket but not many opportunities, and it was challenging for me. But I will continue to work on that side of my game,” he added.Former India chief selector MSK Prasad described Suryavanshi as a “super talent” and “one of the best players in the world in T20 cricket”, urging the selectors to swiftly include him in the national team for the upcoming Ireland series later this month.“He is not just a sensation or a super talent. He is already one of the best players in the world in T20 cricket. He should be included in the Indian team immediately. He should be selected for the Ireland series that follows the India A tri-series in Sri Lanka,” Prasad told PTI.The former India wicket-keeper batsman predicted, “I think he is well-prepared to join the senior Indian team. I think he is going to flourish in the India A tri-series in Sri Lanka as well. Look, there is no point stopping him. He is going to play for India soon and he is going to play for a long time.”“Playing with India A and then playing for India is normal but playing high-pressure IPL among the best players in the world is the best way to break into the Indian team. I think the selectors are also thinking on the same lines. It’s only a matter of time before he plays for India and plays for a long time,” he reiterated.
