Vaibhav Suryavanshi (ANI photo)

Royal Challengers Bangalore may have retained the IPL trophy, but according to former England captain and Gujarat Titans wicketkeeper-batsman jos buttlerOne teen eclipsed every other story in the tournament. Speaking on the YouTube podcast For the Love of Cricket, Buttler reflected on the recently concluded IPL 2026 season and had special praise for 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, whose remarkable campaign captured the imagination of cricket fans around the world. Discussing RCB’s successful title defense and their defeat to Gujarat Titans in the final, Buttler made it clear that Suryavanshi’s performance stands above everything else. “RCB won the trophy and they are the story of the IPL. But Vaibhav is almost the IPL this year. He is the story of the tournament. MVP, 700-plus runs and a faster strike rate than everyone else. It was amazing to watch,” he said. Although Rajasthan Royals were not involved in the title match, Suryavanshi was present at the Narendra Modi Stadium for the final on Sunday. The teenage sensation watched the match with ICC President Jay Shah before receiving five major individual awards for a season which saw several records. Their numbers reflect the scale of their dominance. Suryavanshi scored 776 runs at a whopping strike rate of 237.3 during the season and cleared the ropes 72 times. His performances earned him the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player Award, Emerging Player Award, Super Striker Award and the distinction of finishing as the leading six-hitter of the tournament. Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad believes that the influence of this young player has extended far beyond the IPL. Broad suggested that Suryavanshi could be the first cricketer to achieve worldwide fame before earning an international cap. “I said in my last podcast that I have never seen a player become an international star without playing international cricket. In England, people are talking about him. They may not even be IPL fans, but they are saying, ‘Oh my God, have you seen Sooryavanshi? He is incredible.’ He has become a world star. “Not like Kohli or anything, but he is probably the first player to become a world star without playing international cricket,” Broad said. Butler also told how tremendous the popularity of Suryavanshi has become in India. Recalling the Rajasthan Royals match in Kolkata, he said it was impossible for the young player to ignore the crowd’s support. “His influence in India is huge. He is the guy everyone is talking about. I was talking to Manoj Badale, the former owner of Rajasthan Royals, who told me that in Kolkata, half the stadium had turned up to see Vaibhav and they were all wearing his RR jersey. “Imagine the pressure as a 15-year-old when you get off the bus and look, but he has soaked it all up. And when he bats, I don’t know whether Rajasthan Royals have done it or in the tournament, but there is a song for him, this Suryavanshi song, which plays when he is attacking you.” The former England captain then admitted that he would be keen to see the teenager join India’s squad for the five-match T20 series in England next month, even if England’s bowlers may not welcome that prospect. “I hope to see him in England. Well, maybe not for our bowlers. But it will be worthwhile because you can see it among the players and the support staff. Everyone is keen and I want to see this guy.” Whether that opportunity will come remains uncertain. Suryavanshi is set to feature in the upcoming India A ODI tri-series, a competition selectors are reportedly looking at as a key assessment before discussing a possible T20I debut during the England tour.