‘He will become bigger than a Bollywood star’ – Lalit Modi on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to attract praise from all corners of the cricketing world following his extraordinary IPL 2026 campaign. The 15-year-old emerged as one of the standout performers of the season, captivating fans and experts alike with his fearless approach and remarkable consistency at the highest level. 

Sooryavanshi enjoyed a dream season, finishing as the leading run-scorer of IPL 2026 and establishing himself as one of the brightest young talents in world cricket. With his performance, the teenager has garnered praises from all across the world. Adding to the growing list of admiration, IPL founder and former chairman Lalit Modi made a bold prediction about the youngster’s future.

Speaking after the conclusion of the tournament, Modi expressed his confidence in Sooryavanshi’s ability to reach unprecedented heights in cricket and global stardom. Modi went as far as predicting that the Rajasthan Royals opener could one day score a double century in T20 cricket and become one of the biggest celebrities in the world.

“I am looking forward to that day (Sooryavanshi’s double ton). You will make a 200, I promise you. Don’t let money get into your head. You will become the number one superstar on the planet, bigger than any Hollywood and Bollywood star on the planet,” Modi said to Wisden.

The comments reflect the immense expectations surrounding the young batter, who has already showcased maturity and composure beyond his years despite being only 15.

Sooryavanshi’s IPL 2026 campaign will be remembered as one of the most remarkable breakthrough seasons in the history of the tournament. Representing the Rajasthan Royals, the left-handed opener consistently delivered match-winning performances and dominated some of the world’s best bowling attacks, scoring 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30.

In the process, he etched his name into the record books by becoming the youngest-ever Orange Cap winner and the youngest player to be named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of an IPL season. His fearless strokeplay, ability to handle pressure situations, and impressive temperament made him one of the biggest talking points of the competition.