15-year-old Indian cricket sensation and Rajasthan Royals prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has opened up about his cricketing roots, confessing his childhood allegiance to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise and his deep admiration for their iconic batter, Virat Kohli. The 15 year old batting maestro shared a memorable interaction with Kohli on the sidelines of an IPL 2026 final at Narendra Modi Stadium where the veteran superstar was seen placing a guiding hand on the youngster’s shoulder to offer words of wisdom. Reflecting on the viral encounter, Sooryavanshi admitted the experience felt entirely surreal, emphasizing how warmly the legendary batsman treated him like a younger sibling.
“I’ll tell you the truth. When Virat bhaiya put his hand on my shoulder like that… I was also an RCB fan earlier. Actually, I was a very big fan of Virat Kohli… When he put his hand on my shoulder, when he was talking to me, I actually felt like it was a dream. The way he spoke to me, it didn’t even feel like it was actually Virat Kohli. Like an elder brother, the way he made me understand, the way he told me what I’m doing well, what more I should do well, what I should focus on, where to pay attention, and what to do in the future,” Sooryavanshi said in a video on the Rajasthan Royals’ YouTube channel.
Got Virat’s Autograph
In a heartwarming gesture during the tournament, the teenager also secured Kohli’s autograph on his cricket cap. Sooryavanshi noted that throughout the season, whenever the tournament’s Orange Cap was not in his possession, he would proudly sport the one signed by his idol.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi – I was an RCB fan before, and a hardcore Virat Kohli fan. When he put his hand on my shoulder and spoke to me, it genuinely felt like a dream. The way he was talking, it didn’t even feel like I was speaking to Virat Kohli himself. pic.twitter.com/novZtpVAF6
— Kohlistic (@Kohlistic18) June 7, 2026
Virat’s conversation with prodigy
“You have to keep going higher from here. Whatever you’ve achieved is the result of your hard work and belief. Don’t pay attention to who is saying what. Just focus on your batting and yourself. Ek Bihari sab par bhari,” Kohli told Sooryavanshi.
Guidance From Leadership
Beyond his interactions with senior players, the young phenom shed light on the valuable guidance he frequently receives from ICC Chairman and former BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who consistently reminds him to remain dedicated to his craft.
“Jay sir, he also meets me whenever he sees me and explains a lot of things, that I have to stay focused, I have to go very far, I have to pay attention to the game, stay grounded, and just focus on my work.”
An IPL to remember
Sooryavanshi capped off an unforgettable breakthrough IPL campaign by clinching both the Orange Cap and the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award, courtesy of a spectacular 776 run tally amassed at an astonishing strike rate of 237.30. His historic exploits culminated on Saturday when he earned his maiden national call up, officially rewriting the record books as the youngest cricketer ever to be selected for Team India.
India selection
Vaibhav sooryavanshi created history on June 6th becoming the youngest player ever to get selected for Indian cricketer men’s team. Vaibhav was selected in 3 India’s T20I Squads for Ireland, England tour and Asian Games 2026 respectively. He broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record who earlier had this record.
India’s T20I squad for Ireland and England
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav.
India’s Asian Games 2026 squad
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
