Sooryavanshi, aged just 15 years and 12 days, recently grabbed headlines by passing the ultimate acid test against the Mumbai Indians at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati. Facing the world's premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, Sooryavanshi showcased his fearless approach by depositing a 131.2kph delivery into the stands for a maximum.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In all, Sooryavanshi has amassed 122 runs in three IPL 2026 innings so far. \u201cThe IPL has started exactly how I expected it to, with flatter pitches and high-scoring games. As always, it\u2019s interesting to see how the old school superstars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli perform, but I think this youngster for the Rajasthan Royals, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, is the one to watch in the opening few weeks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe has already shown his ability to power it right from ball one. As a young man, he could become a proper superstar over the course of the tournament, and I\u2019m really excited to see how he goes,\u201d said Smith on his blog. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Smith, who was a member of the RR side winning the inaugural IPL title in 2008, further highlighted how the tournament\u2019s robust scouting system and franchise excellence have fundamentally altered the global cricket landscape, creating a blueprint that has been instrumental in the success of South Africa\u2019s own SA20. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cOur six franchises are a huge, integral part of the growth of SA20. We were very fortunate to attract six IPL teams of high quality, and they\u2019re the most experienced franchise owners in the world. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey are very competitive, they want to win, and they bring in a level of cricket and business excellence across the board, from coaching to medical care. The IPL franchises have brilliant scouts \u2013 the talent they find doesn\u2019t always come through the system.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019re trying to rebuild and grow a cricket ecosystem, to have partners like that is amazing. It\u2019s kind of impossible to compete with the IPL, but we\u2019ve been fortunate that they\u2019ve been very open with us, and helped us build the big blocks in the early phases,\" he elaborated. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey are very competitive, they want to win, and they bring in a level of cricket and business excellence across the board, from coaching to medical care. The IPL franchises have brilliant scouts \u2013 the talent they find doesn\u2019t always come through the system.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cPeople around the globe are taking cricket seriously; it\u2019s got a huge number of eyeballs, and it\u2019s growing in all the key markets. The interesting thing to see now, where it can go is over the next four to five years, with private ownership in the game and the 2028 Olympics coming up.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n