'Test Cricket Is The Purest Form': MVP Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Sets Sights on Red-Ball Success After IPL Heroics

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi closed the TATA IPL 2026 as Orange Cap winner and leading run-scorer, while also taking the Most Valuable Player award. The Rajasthan Royals opener spoke on JioHotstar's Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live about setting a 700-run target, key lessons, and red-ball ambitions.

Sooryavanshi said that winning several awards felt special, but the season also revealed areas for improvement. He shared that he had written a target of 700 runs in his phone Notes app before the tournament, then checked his progress after every match until he reached that mark.

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He noted that the season brought lessons on and off the field. The opener said he must work on several parts of his game to play for a long time, and that this focus will guide preparation for future matches and higher levels of competition.

On red-ball cricket, Sooryavanshi said he has trained a lot with the red ball, though few have seen him in that format. He wants fans and selectors to see that side soon and knows he must work even harder to build that game.

Sooryavanshi added that his attacking style in T20 cricket comes with backing from coaches. They have given him a free hand to attack when the ball is in his zone. He stressed he does not swing at every ball without reason or match awareness.

He said his father shaped his wish to play Test cricket, calling it the purest form. Sooryavanshi has played a few Ranji Trophy matches and found them tough. Those games showed that success in longer formats will need extra effort and adjustment.

Sharing his biggest learning from IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi said a batter cannot play the same way in every game. He tried from the first match to read conditions, opposition, and team needs, sometimes attacking, sometimes being cautious, to fit the match situation.

He explained that opening often brought less pressure, but some matches needed more care. In those games, he changed his tempo. He said challenges will be tougher at the next level and he plans to keep working on reading conditions and situations better.

Looking back at Rajasthan Royals' loss to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, Sooryavanshi felt the side finished 10-12 runs short. He said the pitch was not very flat, and new batters found it hard to start, which made his strike management during middle overs crucial.

He accepted that, on that surface, he should have kept strike more often in the middle overs. Instead, new batters faced many balls, which he called a mistake on his part. That phase stayed in his mind as an area for tactical growth.