London [UK], June 4 (ANI): Indian Premier League (IPL) architect Lalit Modi has made a glittering prediction for teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, asserting that the 15-year-old has the explosive potential to transcend traditional celebrity and become a global sporting icon bigger than any Hollywood or Bollywood star.
Speaking to ANI on what makes the Indian Premier League (IPL) one of the world's most successful sporting events, the IPL founder said the tournament now belongs to the fans and credited the league for creating a pathway for young Indian talent to emerge on the biggest stage.
'It's not me. It's not anybody else. It's not the owners anymore. It is for the fans. And it's the fans and fans alone. Players, we have the best. We don't need any foreign players in IPL anymore. We keep them because it's good, because you have a whole lot of different talents coming in. But we have the greatest talent available today. We have so many people,' Lalit Modi said.
Lalit Modi's remarks come on the heels of a historic IPL 2026 season where Sooryavanshi didn't just break out, he utterly dominated. The Bihar-born sensation spearheaded a clean sweep at the tournament's post-season awards, capturing an unprecedented haul including Most Valuable Player (MVP), Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker, the Orange Cap, and Super Sixes of the Season.
'He will be bigger than any Hollywood or Bollywood star,' the 62-year-old Modi told ANI with absolute conviction. 'He'll be bigger than anyone in the world if he keeps his head on his shoulders. When I see his style of batting and the fearlessness in that boy, whatever it is, at that age to have that confidence, it's magic.'
The 15-year-old Bihar-born cricketer had an extraordinary tournament for Rajasthan Royals (RR), finishing as the highest run-scorer with 776 runs at an exceptional strike rate of 237.30.
Sooryavanshi's consistent performances, including a record-breaking 72 sixes, helped him surpass several long-standing IPL records and establish himself as one of the most promising talents in Indian cricket during the 2026 season.
Playing for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), the young southpaw systematically dismantled elite bowling attacks across the country, setting blistering new benchmarks for T20 cricket.
He finished as the tournament's highest run-scorer with a staggering 776 runs, maintained an astonishing scoring clip of 237.30 and set a historic single-season record by launching a massive 72 sixes.
Lalit Modi, who conceptualised the league nearly two decades ago, noted that the rapid emergence of generational talents like Sooryavanshi proves the IPL now completely belongs to the fans. He credited the league's ecosystem for destroying the old, rigid pathways to international cricket.
'Before the IPL began, you had 20 people on the Indian bench, and they sat there for 15 years,' Lalit Modi recalled. 'Today, you have a Sooryavanshi who just jumps up and comes out. We have the greatest talent available today... We don't even need foreign players anymore.'
The 62-year-old also described the emergence of young stars as a major factor behind the IPL's popularity and viewership.
'Without doubt. It's a game-changer. And that's why you look at the ratings today. I don't care where the ratings come from. They come for Sooryavanshi. They came for Virat Kohli,' he added.
Drawing a parallel to European football, Lalit Modi explained that the modern sports consumer tunes in for individual box-office attractions rather than just team loyalty.
'Today, you don't go and watch an Aston Villa match, or you go and watch another match. You watch the Arsenal match or Man (Manchester) City match because that's what drives viewership. So you need a hook every time. And the hook needs to keep changing. So, yes, we have a common hook we want to create. And that's the main thing,' the IPL founder concluded.
In the IPL 2026 final held in Ahmedabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained their title with a victory over Gujarat Titans, successfully defending their championship crown.
RCB gunned down a tricky 156 runs to join five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) in the elite list of clubs to have won back-to-back IPL titles. (ANI)
