Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi recalled the night of IPL Final 2026 when Indian cricketer, Virat Kohli put a hand around his shoulders, it felt like a dream to him. Speaking during an interview with Rajasthan Royals team manager Romi Bhinder after the IPL 2026 season, the 15-year-old opened up about his memorable interaction with Virat Kohli following the IPL final in Ahmedabad. In a candid revelation titled "Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Big Reveal, the youngster admitted he had grown up supporting Royal Challengers Bengaluru and idolising Kohli. He described their post-match conversation as a dream-like experience that left a lasting impression on him.

Sooryavanshi said, “I was a RCB fan before, actually I'm a huge fan of Virat bhaiya. When he put his hand on my shoulder and spoke to me, it honestly felt like a dream. The way he spoke, it didn't feel like I was talking to Virat Kohli, the superstar.”

Recalling the meeting, he added that when Kohli placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke to him, it felt unreal. The youngster said the former India captain spoke to him like an elder brother and explained what he was doing right, where he could improve, and what he should focus on in the future.

Virat Kohli’s Words Of Wisdom To Sooryavanshi

This conversation was not limited to congratulatory comments. While praising the performance of Sooryavanshi, Kohli also informed him that bigger things were yet to come in his cricketing career. The former asked him to remain consistent with his batting style and not get swayed by others. He informed Sooryavanshi that his success story had been based on dedication and self-confidence and motivated him to dream big.

Sooryavanshi further spoke about how he was spoken to as a younger brother, as he said, “He spoke to me like my elder brother. The way he explained things to me, what I was doing well, where I needed to improve, what I should focus on, where I should concentrate & what I should do going forward, was truly special.”

This advice was given after Sooryavanshi was adjudged as the top run-scorer of IPL 2026 with 776 runs scored in 16 matches, winning the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player award, Emerging Player honour, Super Striker award and Super Sixes award.

After a successful IPL season, Sooryavanshi has finally received his first call-up for the Indian national side. The southpaw opening batsman was picked in India's T20 team for their upcoming tour of Ireland and England. In case he plays his first game, he will be the youngest cricketer to play for India's senior men's team. He was picked after a great IPL season, including one century and five half-centuries, along with a strike rate above 237. It is just another milestone in his rapid evolution from a Kohli fanatic to an aspiring Indian cricketer.