New Chandigarh, May 30 (H.S.): Rajasthan Royals Head Coach and Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara believes that young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could soon find a place in the Indian national team.

Sangakkara said that the manner in which Sooryavanshi has batted against some of the world's finest bowlers during IPL 2026 demonstrates that he is fully prepared for challenges at the highest level.

Despite Rajasthan Royals' defeat to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, the 15-year-old produced another outstanding innings, scoring 96 runs off 47 balls. With that performance, he finished the tournament as the Orange Cap winner. It was also his third score of more than 90 runs in the last four matches.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Sangakkara said that Rajasthan Royals were immensely proud of Sooryavanshi's achievements and that the franchise wanted to ensure he continued to play with the same fearless approach and positive mindset.

Commenting on the youngster's prospects of earning a place in the Indian team, Sangakkara said, “A player's readiness is truly assessed when he performs at the highest level. But from everything Vaibhav has shown so far, I believe he is ready to take on any challenge. I am confident that a call-up to the Indian team will come very soon.”

Sangakkara stated that Sooryavanshi's 96-run knock against Gujarat Titans was a testament to his maturity as a batter. He pointed out that the innings came on a used, slow surface and at a time when wickets were falling regularly, making the effort even more impressive.

“He understands conditions exceptionally well. He bats according to the demands of the match, and that is perhaps his greatest strength,” Sangakkara said.

The former Sri Lankan captain revealed that Rajasthan Royals have devised a special development plan to ensure that Sooryavanshi's growth continues in the right direction.

“We do not want to place unnecessary pressure on him. He participates in team meetings, expresses his views, studies videos, and works extremely hard. We want him to continue batting freely and fearlessly,” he said.

Sangakkara also disclosed that, in coordination with the medical team, a structured training programme would be prepared for the youngster. He added that Sooryavanshi would receive ample opportunities to train during the team's camps in Nagpur.

Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag had remarked after the match that very few people considered the team a playoff contender at the start of the season. Responding to that observation, Sangakkara said he was proud of the determination and resilience shown by the entire squad.

“Throughout the season, we dealt with injuries, narrow defeats, and numerous ups and downs. At times we played outstanding cricket, while at other times we fell short, but the team always maintained its composure and belief,” he said.

Sangakkara emphasized that Rajasthan Royals are no longer merely a franchise focused on nurturing young talent.

“Since 2022, we have changed our approach. Our objective is to build a team capable of winning matches and tournaments. Vaibhav is an exception, but we selected him because we believed he was good enough to be part of our strongest playing XI,” he said.

He also praised captain Riyan Parag, stating that he had led the side admirably in his first season as captain and would continue to grow into an even better leader in the years ahead.

Concluding his remarks, Sangakkara said, “Perhaps no one expected us to reach the playoffs at the beginning of the season, but the players’ hard work and team spirit made it possible. We will return stronger next season.”

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar