Challengers trophy

U19 World Cup: Rajasthan Royals (RR) teenaged opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi says his focus this season is firmly on helping the team lift the IPL trophy, something which has eluded the team since winning the inaugural season in 2008.

In IPL 2025, Sooryavanshi struck a 35-ball century while amassing 252 runs in seven games for RR. Now, he enters IPL 2026 on the back of being Player of the Final and Player of the Tournament in India’s U19 World Cup triumph this year.

“When I was picked, my only goal was to give the team a good start. I wanted to play my game in the Powerplay, and if I got a good start, I wanted to continue and play long without giving my wicket away. I knew that if I played my shots, the scenario of the game would change, because chasing 200-plus runs would not be easy for any team.