Vaibhav Sooryavanshi wins Orange Cap in just his second IPL season

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's dream run in the IPL continued in 2026 as the Rajasthan Royals youngster is set to win the Orange Cap in only his second season in the tournament. The Orange Cap is awarded to the highest run-scorer of the IPL season, and Sooryavanshi has finished at the top of the charts with an incredible 776 runs in 16 matches.

What makes the achievement even more special is that he has managed to stay ahead of some of the biggest names in world cricket. Players like Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Heinrich Klaasen and Ishan Kishan all had impressive seasons, but none could match the consistency and explosive batting shown by the young Rajasthan Royals star.

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Sooryavanshi shows his class in his first full IPL season

Before the IPL final, only Gujarat Titans batters Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan had a realistic chance of overtaking Sooryavanshi. Gill entered the final with 722 runs and needed a big score, while Sudharsan had 710 runs and also required a special knock to move ahead.

However, both batters fell cheaply in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Gill was dismissed for 10 runs while Sudharsan managed only 12, ending their hopes of catching Sooryavanshi in the race for the Orange Cap.

The numbers highlight just how dominant Sooryavanshi has been this season. His 776 runs came at an average of 48.50 and an unbelievable strike rate of 237.30. He smashed one century, including two scores in the 90s, five half-centuries, 63 fours and a staggering 72 sixes during the campaign.

Sooryavanshi's performances played a huge role in Rajasthan Royals reaching the playoffs. Although the team fell short of making the final after losing to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, the youngster's individual season will be remembered for a long time.