Jos Buttler hailed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as the biggest story of IPL 2026 after the 15-year-old’s record-breaking season, saying he was ‘nearly the IPL this year’. The former England captain also praised Sooryavanshi’s growing global popularity, while Stuart Broad claimed the teenager has become an international star even before making his debut for India.
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) may have lifted the trophy, but former England captain Jos Buttler believes 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi emerged as the biggest talking point of the season. The Rajasthan Royals prodigy enjoyed a record-breaking campaign, finishing as the Orange Cap winner with 776 runs and capturing the imagination of cricket fans across the globe with his fearless batting.
Sooryavanshi won five awards in IPL 2026, the Orange Cap, Emerging Player of the Season, Most Valuable Player, Super Striker of the Season, and Super Sixes of the Season. Following his phenomenal campaign, two England legends made massive claims about the 15-year-old sensation. Speaking on the For the Love of Cricket podcast alongside former England pacer Stuart Broad, Buttler said Sooryavanshi’s impact went beyond franchise success and individual numbers.
“RCB won the trophy, and they are the story of the IPL. But Vaibhav is nearly the IPL this year. He is the story of the tournament. MVP, 700-plus runs, and at a faster strike rate than everyone else. It was amazing to watch,” Buttler said.
Even , former cricketer Stuart Broad went a step further, claiming Sooryavanshi could be the first cricketer to achieve global stardom before even making his international debut. “I have not seen a player become an international star without having played international cricket. In England, people are talking about him. They may not even be IPL fans, but they are saying, ‘Oh my God, have you seen Sooryavanshi? He’s unbelievable.’ He has become a world star,” Broad said.
Buttler reveals scale of Sooryavanshi craze in India
Buttler also highlighted the massive fan following the young batter has built in India during a single IPL season. Recalling a conversation with former Rajasthan Royals owner Manoj Badale, Buttler revealed that a significant section of the crowd in Kolkata had turned up specifically to watch Sooryavanshi.
“His impact in India is massive. He is the guy everyone is talking about. I was chatting with Rajasthan Royals’ former owner Manoj Badale, who told me that in Kolkata, half the stadium had turned up to watch Vaibhav, and they were all wearing his RR jersey,” Buttler said.
The former England captain added that Sooryavanshi handled the expectations remarkably well despite being just 15 years old.
According to Buttler, the youngster’s popularity even extended to in-stadium entertainment during IPL 2026. “Imagine that pressure at 15 when you get off the bus and see that, but he has soaked it all up. And when he bats, I don’t know whether Rajasthan Royals have done it or the tournament, but there is a song for him, this Sooryavanshi song, that comes on when he’s blasting you,” he revealed.
Record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign
Although Rajasthan Royals failed to reach the final, Sooryavanshi ended the season with numbers that rewrote record books.
The teenager scored 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.3 and smashed 72 sixes during the tournament. He also collected five individual awards after the IPL final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
His 776 runs are the most by an uncapped batter in a single IPL season, underlining the extraordinary nature of his breakthrough campaign.
Buttler keen to watch Sooryavanshi in England
With India scheduled to tour England for a five-match T20I series next month, Buttler admitted he is eager to see how the young batter fares in English conditions.
“I hope to see him in England. Well, maybe not for our bowlers. But it will be worth it because you can see it among the players and support staff. Everyone is intrigued, and I want to see this guy,” Buttler said.
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