Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to be one of the standout stories of IPL 2026, and his rise has also drawn praise for the way the Rajasthan Royals identified and backed him early. The 15-year-old has been fearless against elite bowling attacks, and his rapid progression has made RR’s scouting system look sharper than ever. What once seemed like a risky punt at the IPL mega auction has now turned into one of the smartest moves of the season.

Former England fast-bowling great Stuart Broad admitted that he had initial doubts when the Rajasthan Royals signed Sooryavanshi. Speaking on his podcast, Broad said he wondered whether the youngster would simply be developed for a few seasons before eventually moving on to a bigger, more established franchise. But RR’s decision to hand him real opportunities from the start has paid off handsomely.

“Fair play to Rajasthan Royals’ scouting system or academy system – whatever they have done,” Stuart Broad said on For The Love Of Cricket. “I remember when they signed him at the auction – he was 14, maybe even 13 – and I thought, ‘gosh, bit odd for a top-flight team to get someone so young.’”

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Broad said he initially felt the move might create too much pressure for a player so young. “I was thinking that’s a lot of pressure, maybe they’re just going to have him around the squad for three years,” he added. “I said, what’s the point of that because it’s not as if you can sign him on a 10-year contract; he might just then leave for Mumbai Indians or something.”

Instead, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has done exactly what RR hoped he would do. He has justified the faith with two of the fastest centuries in IPL history, and remarkably, he is still a teenager who has not yet turned 16.

“I mean, to be fair, when he next walks into his next player retention, he can say, ‘Well, I can go in the auction if you want, but you’re going to give me some sort of number,’” Stuart Broad said.

Jos Buttler, who also joined the discussion, agreed with Broad’s assessment and said RR will eventually have to pay a premium to keep hold of a player with such long-term value.

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“It’s pretty good investment for the first few years for the Royals,” Jos Buttler said. “But they’re going to have to rightly pay him a bit more to keep hold of him. Someone like him could play in the IPL for 20 years. Could be the first 20-year contract,” Stuart Broad joked.