Gujarat Titans (GT) batsman Jos Buttler has hailed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s remarkable rise during IPL 2026, describing the 15-year-old as one of the biggest attractions of the tournament and a player whose popularity extends far beyond traditional cricket circles. Speaking on the For the Love of Cricket podcast, Buttler said Sooryavanshi’s performances and popularity made him one of the standout stories of the season, even in a year that ended with Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifting their maiden IPL title. “Vaibhav, I think, took home five or six of those trophies. RCB are obviously the story of the IPL because they won it, but I feel like Vaibhav almost was the IPL this year,” Buttler said. “At his age, to be MVP of the tournament, score 700-plus runs, more than anyone else, and at a faster strike rate than everyone else, it was amazing to watch.” The former England white-ball captain said Sooryavanshi’s impact was impossible to miss during the tournament, with fans turning up in huge numbers specifically to watch the teenage sensation. “His impact is unbelievable. Seeing it in India, he’s the guy everyone’s talking about,” Buttler said. “I was chatting to Rajasthan Royals owner Manoj Badale and he was saying that in Kolkata, half the stadium had turned up just to watch Vaibhav. People were wearing Rajasthan Royals shirts with his name on the back. Imagine that pressure at 15.”Story continues below this ad Despite the attention and expectations that come with stardom, Buttler believes Sooryavanshi has handled the spotlight remarkably well. “He seems to soak it all up. There’s even a song that plays when he’s batting. Whether Rajasthan Royals created it or the tournament did, I don’t know. But it’s all part of the show. The level of fame he’s achieved before playing international cricket just shows the pull of the IPL and how big it is.” Buttler also backed the youngster to enjoy a long and successful career, while suggesting English fans could soon get an opportunity to watch him up close. “He’s going to be alright. He’s got a decent career ahead of him.Story continues below this ad “I actually think there’s a good chance we might see him in England this summer. If we do, it’ll be pretty cool because he’s one of those players that everyone wants to watch. You can sense it around the ground. Players, support staff, fans – everyone is intrigued. If we get to see him in England this summer, it will be special.” Buttler’s own IPL campaign ended in disappointment as GT went down to RCB by five wickets in the final in Ahmedabad. Reflecting on the defeat, the England star admitted he was still hurting from falling short on the biggest stage. “Flat, to be honest. Very flat. Amazing to get to the final. It was a hell of an occasion, 100,000 people in that stadium in Ahmedabad. A privilege to be involved. Big dreams of lifting that trophy and beating RCB,” Buttler said. “We didn’t play our best game of cricket, and they were the deserved winners on the day. So, pretty gutted, to be honest. Pretty flat. Getting to finals, especially, you never know how many finals you’re going to be a part of. So, to not manage to win it is gutting. So, yeah, disappointed.”Story continues below this ad Buttler later summed up GT night with a scary yet memorable anecdote. “Our night was summed up by two in the morning on the bus home. The boys at the back started smelling smoke, and we all got off the bus and stood by the side of the road. While I’m sure the RCB party was in full flow, our bus was going up in smoke along with our dreams of winning the title.”
Buttler hails Sooryavanshi’s impact in IPL 2026: ‘He was the IPL this year’
