’80 means more than a hundred’, Sooryavanshi reveals his mindset:RR’s young prodigy shares obsession with practice and cartoons

Rajasthan Royals’ 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been the buzzing topic of the IPL 2026, especially after his 97 in the Eliminator, in which he also became the six-hitting emperor, surpassing Chris Gayle’s 14-year-old record. The RR opener is also the Orange Cap holder with 680 runs at a staggering strike rate of 242. Ahead of crucial Qualifier 2 against the Gujarat Titans on Friday, the Royals prodigy reflected on his debut from last season, his obsession with practice and cartoons. ‘80 means more to me than the hundred’: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Speaking to JioStar ahead of Qualifier 2, Sooryavanshi reflected on his TATA IPL debut last season for RR, prioritising the team’s goals over personal milestones, and his mindset heading into the knockout game against GT. He said about his debut last season, “In my debut match, I hit a six off the first ball, so it was a very special moment and a great memory. Then, I scored a hundred in the same season, which was a very proud moment for both my family and me.” However, Sooryavanshi’s approach to team goal caught the attention as he further added, “Since childhood, my father has always told me that if you score a hundred, a double hundred, or even a triple hundred, but the team does not win because of it, then those runs hold no value. They may only be for your personal record, but they do not benefit the team. Cricket, in the end, is a team game. So, if I score 80 instead of a hundred and my team wins, and if we still do not win despite me scoring a century, then that 80 means more to me than the hundred.” He did not deny the fact that he wants to get a hundred. However, Vaibhav justified it with the fact that the more chances his side gets in tournament, the more chances he’ll get to score a ton. So it’s a win-win for both sides. ‘Feels like my life has slowed down if I don’t practice’ Speaking about returning to practice a day after winning the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi said, “Since childhood, my father has made me practice so much that if I do not practice even for a day, it feels like my life has slowed down a bit. So, I do not need to take a very long break; one day is enough.” However, short breaks carry technical significance also, as Vaibhav added to his response, “I felt I should practise because the IPL was approaching, and I was also coming back after playing one-day cricket. There was a change in format too, so I needed to work on certain aspects of my game.” ‘Watching cartoons reminds me a lot of home’ Despite the batting rampage on the field that rivals the might of those in their mid-20s, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is still a 15-year-old. Like any other kid of his age, he loves to watch cartoons and recently reflected on what it gives him: “When I used to stay at home two or three years ago and played matches or practised there, whenever I had free time at home, I used to watch cartoons, and I really enjoyed it. Even now, whenever I feel like I need some relaxation or peace, I watch cartoons. I sit comfortably in my room and watch whichever cartoons I like. It feels really nice and reminds me a lot of home.” The batting show that the RR prodigy puts on the field has compelled the experts of the game to push him through the selection system. That’s why he is part of the India A series that is set to play a Tri-nation series in June.