With the T20 Indian Premier League playoffs commencing on Tuesday, veteran batting great Virat Kohli and 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be under the spotlight.
Kohli, the captain of Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru who ended up topping the regular season standings, at 37 is just under two decades older than Sooryavanshi whose explosive batting has been one of the biggest stories this season.
Key Playoff Matches
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans — Tuesday in Dharamsala
- Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad — Wednesday in Chandigarh
- Winners advance closer to the IPL final in Ahmedabad
Kohli and Bengaluru will face Gujarat Titans in the first qualifying playoff, with the winner booking a direct spot in Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad.
Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi and Rajasthan Royals secured the final playoff berth and will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday. The losing side will be eliminated from the tournament.
The winner of that match will then meet the loser of Tuesday’s qualifier in Friday’s eliminator in Chandigarh.
Rajasthan Royals Back Young Talent
Rajasthan head coach Kumar Sangakkara praised the young star and the team’s efforts throughout the campaign.
“We don’t pick age, we pick ability,” Sangakkara said while referring to Sooryavanshi.
Rajasthan Royals’ Key Contributors
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi — 583 runs this season
- Jofra Archer — key performances with bat and ball
- Strong team effort helped secure playoff qualification
England fast bowler Archer also played a major role in Rajasthan’s playoff push, scoring 32 runs and taking 3-17 in the crucial victory that sealed qualification.
Kohli Chasing Another IPL Title
Having retired from Test cricket and T20 internationals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru batsman Virat Kohli claims he is using 2026 to take aim at a second successive IPL crown as the team celebrate their first trophy win in 18 seasons.
Hey man, it is still love for the game after all these years. Anything except hitting it in the middle of the bat. Virat Kohli: “That joy is still there
While Kohli is ninth on the IPL batting list with 557 runs and a highest score of 105 not out, Sooryavanshi is fifth with 583 runs — including an electrifying match-winning knock of 103 off just 37 balls.
Strong Competition Ahead
Sunrisers Hyderabad enter the playoffs with a powerful batting lineup featuring:
- Travis Head
- Abhishek Sharma
- Heinrich Klaasen — 606 runs and six half-centuries
The batting charts are led by Sai Sudharsan with 638 runs and Shubman Gill with 616 runs for Gujarat Titans.
IPL Continues to Capture Fans Worldwide
The Gujarat Titans, last season winners of the IPL in their first attempt (in 2022), could have a final to play at their home venue — the 130,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Television viewership figures have reportedly dropped this season, but analysts say interest in the IPL remains strong with fans flocking to digital streaming platforms across cricket-mad India.