Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara has urged teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to keep playing with the freedom of a child, preserving his youthful exuberance and natural flair.
The 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the first player to reach the 200-run mark in IPL 2026, even holding the Orange Cap briefly after tormenting opposition attacks in the Royals’ opening four games.
However, he endured a rare blip in his previous outing against Sunrisers Hyderabad, departing without scoring but Sangakkara isn’t too concerned.
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“Failure is a very strong word when he had a first-ball duck,” Sangakkara said at the press conference ahead of RR’s clash against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday. “My message to Vaibhav is he’s got to enjoy everything. Whether it’s a hundred off 35 balls, a fifty off 15, or a first-ball duck. You’re allowed to score runs, you’re allowed to fail.”
“All I look at Vaibhav is I just want him to be this 15-year-old kid that goes out and bats with that wonderment that a kid has for this game. And that’s how he’s going to really kick on,” he added.
The Sri Lankan great also shared some high praise for wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel. With the franchise since 2023, Jurel is in the midst of a coming-of-age season, thriving after his promotion to No. 3 in the Royals’ batting order.
He currently stands as the Royals’ third-highest run-scorer this campaign with 176 runs from five matches and Sangakkara believes the clarity of role at the top of the order has been central to his progress.
“He’s got a very clear idea of his path forward at Rajasthan Royals,” Sangakkara said.
“And that’s freeing him up to find that freedom to play the way he plays best. Players that figure themselves out a little bit - not technique, but just themselves - they tend to improve really quickly… I think now what’s clicked for him is he’s got clarity in position, he’s got clarity in terms of what’s expected of him,” he added.
Royals skipper Riyan Parag, despite showcasing some brilliant decision-making as captain, is yet to hit top gear with the bat. The 24-year-old has managed good starts but is yet to convert them to a big score this campaign.
Sangakkara, however, feels it's only a matter of time.
“When I am watching Riyan, he’s hitting the ball off the middle. I’ve been through this myself as a cricketer. There are some days when you’re batting well, you’re just not getting the runs. Especially in the middle order in T20s, you’re not looking at long innings. You’re looking at impact,” he said.
Parag scored a blistering 95 - his highest IPL score - against KKR in Kolkata last season.
