Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has heaped praise on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for his explosive performances in IPL 2026, while also reflecting on Rajasthan Royals' bold decision to sign the teenage prodigy. Broad noted that if Sooryavanshi enters the auction again, he could command a significantly higher price.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Sensational Form
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been in sensational form since making his IPL debut in 2025. Bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction, the move was initially questioned by many. However, the teenage prodigy has silenced all critics with his performances. After scoring a century in his debut season, Sooryavanshi has elevated his game further in IPL 2026. His scores this season read: 52, 31, 39, 78, 0, 46, 8, 103, and 43, a remarkable run of consistency and explosiveness.
He currently tops the run-scoring charts with 400 runs in nine innings, averaging 44.44 at a staggering strike rate of 238.09, becoming the first player to cross the 400-run mark in IPL 2026.
Stuart Broad's Take on RR's Bold Call
Stuart Broad praised Rajasthan Royals' scouting system while reflecting on the bold decision to sign such a young player. Speaking on the 'For the Love of Cricket' podcast alongside former England teammate Jos Buttler, Broad said: "Fair play to Rajasthan Royals' scouting system or academy system—whatever they have done. I remember when they signed him at the auction—he was 14, maybe even 13—and I thought it was a bit odd for top-flight domestic cricket to bring in someone so young. That's a lot of pressure, just having him around the squad for three years. What's the point of that? It's not as if you can sign him on a 10-year contract; he might just leave for the Mumbai Indians or something if given an opportunity."
Broad added: "I mean, to be fair, when he walks into his next player retention, he can go into the auction, if he wants, 'you have to give me some sort of numbers.'"
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