Virat Kohliwho led Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s charge in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final, had a heartwarming chat with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi-the player who set the entire tournament on fire-after the title clash in Ahmedabad. Kohli, a multiple-time Orange Cap winner himself, watched the 15-year-old Sooryavanshi take home his maiden Orange Cap after amassing an incredible 776 runs this campaign.
As a grueling season filled with 200+ team totals and gigantic sixes came to a conclusion, Kohli offered some simple and straightforward advice to the Rajasthan Royals teenager.
Sharing a video of the interaction at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, RCB highlighted how the veteran stalwart urged the teenage prodigy not to rest on his laurels but to strive for sustained excellence.
Since the start of the IPL season, Sooryavanshi has been the center of social media chatter. His explosive exploits in the 2026 season have even prompted some of India’s finest former cricketers to call for his fast-tracked inclusion into the national T20I squad. Kohli, however, wants the young opening batter to block out the noise.
“There is progress from here. Whatever has happened, it has happened from the face of hard work, from the face of belief. Who is speaking now, how is he speaking.. (not heard). One Bihar is over all, then the game is over,” Kohli said in the video.
The message roughly translates to: “You have to go even higher from here. Whatever you have achieved is because of your hard work and self-belief. Do not pay attention to who is saying what or how they are saying it. One Bihari is heavy on everyone, then the game is over.”
The best piece of advice the 15-year old Vaibhav Suryavanshi could get! And who better than Virat Kohli to help fuel his fire in the right direction.… pic.twitter.com/MUqCRBo0la
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 3, 2026
Whi Kohli took home the IPL trophy, as RCB defeated the Gujarat Titans in the final, Sooryavanshi bagged majority of the individual honours. The teenage opener hit 72 maximums, setting a new all-time record for a single IPL season. He struck 776 runs at an average of 48.50 accompanied by a staggering strike rate of 237.30. He became the first batter in any T20 tournament globally to score over 500 runs in the powerplay in a single season.
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