Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag has urged the media to shield teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from the spotlight ahead of IPL 2026. Following his record-breaking debut, Parag confirmed the 14-year-old will open with Yashasvi Jaiswal, asking for him to be allowed to play freely without off-field pressure.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Riyan Parag has decided to protect teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from the media spotlight ahead of the IPL 2026. Sooryavanshi’s career, which is currently at the nascent stage, has witnessed rapid growth following a record-breaking 35-ball century against the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025.
Since then, the 14-year-old Bihar cricketer has been in the limelight whenever he steps onto the field, impressing with his fearless strokeplay and consistency. After his impressive IPL debut season, Sooryavanshi carried on his momentum into the U19 Asia Cup 2025 and U19 World Cup 2026, where he was the standout performer for India and earned the Player of the Tournament.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will return to action in the upcoming season of the IPL, representing Rajasthan Royals for the second consecutive season under the captaincy of Riyan Parag. The young batting sensation has already joined the squad and begun his preparations for the IPL 2026.
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Parag’s Plea to Media for Sooryavanshi
The media spotlight on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been immense over the last year, given his rapid growth in domestic and international youth cricket. Acknowledging the pressure surrounding the 14-year-old, RR captain Riyan Parag wanted him to focus on his cricket rather than on off-field conferences.
Speaking at the press conference during the launch of the RR jersey, Parag urged the media not to follow him or contact his manager as the youngster prepares for the IPL 2026.
“As a captain, my message to him would be to not do a lot of press conferences or follow a lot of media," the new RR captain said.
“Let him just enjoy, which I will request you (media) as well. Do not reach out to his manager or anyone; just let him be. He's a 15-16 (14) year-old kid, let him play cricket. He's playing really well, and he's going to make the country proud," he added.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was acquired by the Rajasthan Royals for INR 1.1 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction, making him one of the most expensive young players in IPL history. The 14-year-old justified his price tag with his impressive IPL debut season, amassing 252 runs, including a century and a fifty, at an average of 36 and an astonishing strike rate of 206.55 in seven matches
Parag Confirms Jaiswal-Sooryavanshi Opening Combination
With no Sanju Samson, as he was traded to Chennai Super Kings ahead of the IPL mini-auction last year, Riyan Parag confirmed that Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will open the innings for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2026.
Parag lauded Sooryavanshi’s fearless batting and encouraged him to play naturally, highlighting his exceptional achievements over the past year, and predicting a strong opening partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
“My only message for Vaibhav is if the first ball is meant to be hit, hit it. There’s no issue in that. I don’t think any young player has done what he has over the last one year. I’m sure he’ll form a formidable opening combo with Yashasvi,” the Royals captain said.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will play a critical role in the Rajasthan Royals’ quest for the second IPL title. Having gained experience from his breakthrough season, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will look to carry forward the momentum in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League.
The franchise will once again rely on the young sensation’s fearless batting at the top as they aim to mount a strong challenge for the IPL 2026 title.
