Sachin Tendulkar / IANS

Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar was impressed with the impact teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had on the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, saying the Rajasthan Royals opener affected the outcome of games in more ways than through the runs he scored. 

The batting legend also added that whenever Sooryavanshi walked out to bat, Rajasthan Royals seemed to have a renewed sense of belief.

In his post looking back at the season, Tendulkar was particular about naming some of the standout performances and trends that caught his attention during the tournament. Amongst them was the phenomenal season of Sooryavanshi. 

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"Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had an influence on games that went beyond the runs he scored. Oppositions were thinking about him, teams were planning for him, and fans were waiting for him long before he arrived at the crease," Tendulkar said in a post on Reddit.

The 15-year-old went on to be the top run-scorer in the tournament and one of the biggest success stories. 

The former India skipper was more amazed by the young boy's temperament during the playoffs: "His ability to score quickly in the Eliminator and Qualifier proved his intent was always the same, even as the stakes were high. Even more importantly, his batting seemed to give Rajasthan Royals an added sense of belief every time he walked out to the middle."

Tendulkar also cited the dismissal of Jos Buttler by Josh Hazlewood in the 1st qualifier between RCB and RR, to highlight an instance of brilliant game awareness by a bowler: 

"Josh Hazlewood's dismissal of Jos Buttler in the 5th over of the 1st Qualifier showed the value of deception. Buttler had hit deliveries for a 4, 6, and a 4, and once a batter settles into a rhythm like that, he often tends to commit early." He elaborated on this: "What made the wicket special was how he subtly slowed down the next delivery by 10 km/hr, and Buttler had already gone through his shot by the time the ball reached him," the batting maestro said.

Looking at the eventual champions, RCB, Tendulkar noted how their win was an all-round effort. "Every successful team develops an identity over the course of a campaign. RCB's identity seemed to be built around shared responsibility." He reserved high praise for captain Rajat Patidar. 

"Rajat Patidar led from the front right through, but more importantly, he helped create an environment where others could do the same. The balance between leadership and contribution was an important part of them going all the way to yet another final," he 

The legendary batsman, however, suggested a change to the rules, keeping in mind the course of most of the games in the season. "One trend that I observed through this season was how many games were decided between overs 7 and 15. Teams are now much better prepared for Power-plays and death overs than before." Tendulkar suggested the splitting of the powerplay: 

"I feel the Power-play needs to be split into two parts. First 4 overs as the batting Power-play and two overs of bowling Power-play, which could be utilised at any point in the innings. If implemented, this could become the most strategic phase of T20 cricket," he said.

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Tendulkar was also full of praise for Punjab Kings for their attitude, despite failing to win the trophy: "Punjab Kings brought wonderful energy to the tournament. Their cricket was positive, brave, and at times game-changing." According to him, the lesson learned from Punjab's season was to strike a balance between process and results: "Momentum plays a big part in lengthy tournaments, and eventually in such a quick tournament it comes down to process and not attaching yourself to the results. Punjab seemed to focus on the process in the first half, and on results in the second."

The former India skipper acknowledged the consistency of the Gujarat Titans. "What stood out about the Gujarat Titans is the ability to operate in a very limited performance band, across the length of an entire season." "In the inherently volatile nature of the IPL, they very rarely fall too far from their plan, even when the results are not in their favour. That means minimising both the extremes; ensuring they don't fly too close to the sun, and neither do they crash land when things go wrong. In a long tournament, such control often proves more valuable than single bursts of brilliance or match-winning efforts."

Reflecting on IPL 2026, Tendulkar emphasised the importance of adaptation. "When I reflect on IPL 2026, I was once again reminded that tournaments rarely follow a predictable course from the start. More than one instance this season, the table told a very different story at the mid-point compared to what we see at the end of the competition." He added. "The teams responded, adjusted, and new strategies were developed as the competition grew. The game is all about continuous development, and that's what makes watching it so compelling."