When Ravindra Jadeja calls someone a ‘Rockstar’, it is more than just praise.
After all, it is a nickname - rather a title - given to him by the great Shane Warne, who was Jadeja’s captain and mentor at Rajasthan Royals when the Indian all-rounder was breaking through as a youngster back in 2008.
Since then, Jadeja has gone on to live up to the tag both in the Indian Premier League and international cricket, making the Rockstar brand his own with his fearless cricket.
Years later, Jadeja - after returning to the Royals after more than a decade - now sees the same spark in teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whom he believes has all the makings of a future star.
“The team has a lot of talented youngsters but Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has really stood out for me. The way he’s batting, his maturity, and his mindset have all been really impressive,” Jadeja said during an interview with Star Sports.
“He seems to have a clear understanding of how to take his game forward, how to back his shots, and how to handle top-quality bowlers.”
What has impressed Jadeja even more is Vaibhav’s composure under pressure despite being just 15-years-old - a quality the veteran all-rounder believes separates special players from the rest.
“What stands out even more is how calm he is. I’ve never seen him look nervous or under pressure. He stays composed, which is a great quality to have at such a young age. If I had to call someone the team’s ‘Rockstar’, it would definitely be Vaibhav Sooryavanshi,” he added.
Vaibhab Sooryavanshi enjoyed a meteoric rise with the Royals during IPL 2025 as he not only became the youngest player to debut in the tournament but also doubled up with some fantastic knocks, including a 35-ball ton against Gujarat Titans.
It was the fastest IPL hundred by an Indian and also made him the youngest to slam a century in the competition’s history.
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A year wiser, Vaibhav has shown no signs of second-season butterflies in IPL 2026 and has already established himself as RR’s top scorer this season, whilst leaving a trail of broken records.
He has already scored 440 runs in 11 matches at a staggering strike rate of 236.55. He scored a 36-ball century against SRH and two 15-ball fifties.
