Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi believes 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi can become a global sporting icon after his record-breaking IPL 2026 season with Rajasthan Royals.
Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Lalit Modi (PC: IANS and ANI/X)
Adding to the growing hype surrounding 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has predicted a glittering future for the teenager, saying he has the potential to become a global sporting icon who transcends traditional celebrity.
Speaking to ANI in London, the IPL founder hailed the Indian Premier League’s role in identifying and accelerating young talent, pointing to Sooryavanshi as the latest example of the league’s ability to create superstars.
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“It’s not me. It’s not anybody else. It’s not the owners anymore. It is for the fans. And it’s the fans and fans alone. Players, we have the best. We don’t need any foreign players in IPL anymore. We keep them because it’s good, because you have a whole lot of different talents coming in. But we have the greatest talent available today. We have so many people,” Lalit Modi said.
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Modi’s comments come after a remarkable IPL 2026 season in which Sooryavanshi emerged as the tournament’s biggest star.
The Bihar-born youngster swept the post-season awards, winning Most Valuable Player (MVP), Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker, the Orange Cap and Super Sixes of the Season.
“He will be bigger than any Hollywood or Bollywood star,” the 62-year-old Modi told ANI with absolute conviction. “He’ll be bigger than anyone in the world if he keeps his head on his shoulders. When I see his style of batting and the fearlessness in that boy, whatever it is, at that age to have that confidence, it’s magic.”
The Rajasthan Royals batter enjoyed one of the most dominant seasons in IPL history.
Sooryavanshi finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 776 runs and maintained a staggering strike rate of 237.30. He also smashed a record 72 sixes during the season, rewriting several long-standing IPL records.
Playing for Rajasthan Royals, the young left-hander dismantled some of the world’s best bowling attacks and established himself as one of the brightest prospects in Indian cricket.
Reflecting on the league’s impact, Modi said the emergence of players like Sooryavanshi demonstrates how the IPL has transformed the pathway to elite cricket.
“Before the IPL began, you had 20 people on the Indian bench, and they sat there for 15 years,” Lalit Modi recalled. “Today, you have a Sooryavanshi who just jumps up and comes out. We have the greatest talent available today… We don’t even need foreign players anymore.”
According to Modi, the arrival of exciting young stars is one of the biggest reasons behind the IPL’s continued popularity and commercial success.
“Without doubt. It’s a game-changer. And that’s why you look at the ratings today. I don’t care where the ratings come from. They come for Sooryavanshi. They came for Virat Kohli,” he added.
Drawing comparisons with European football, Modi explained that modern sporting audiences are increasingly driven by star power.
“Today, you don’t go and watch an Aston Villa match, or you go and watch another match. You watch the Arsenal match or Man (Manchester) City match because that’s what drives viewership. So you need a hook every time. And the hook needs to keep changing. So, yes, we have a common hook we want to create. And that’s the main thing,” the IPL founder concluded.
In the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their title with a victory over Gujarat Titans.
RCB chased down 156 to join Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as the only franchises to win back-to-back IPL titles
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