Rajasthan teenager becomes youngest Orange Cap winner; RCB's ₹20 crore prize money falls short of Kohli's own salary

A Night Ahmedabad Won't Forget

Royal Challengers Bangalore completed a remarkable back-to-back IPL title defence on Sunday night, defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in a high-stakes final at Ahmedabad. But if the trophy belonged to RCB, the evening's individual spotlight fell almost entirely on one 15-year-old from Rajasthan.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi walked away with five awards — Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season, and one additional honour — collecting ₹40 lakh in prize money and a car in the process. For a teenager still in school, it was the kind of night that tends to rewrite careers before they've properly begun.

Youngest to Lift the Orange Cap

Suryavanshi finished the season with 776 runs, making him the youngest player in IPL history to win the Orange Cap. The record had long been considered the domain of seasoned campaigners. That a 15-year-old broke it — and did so convincingly — underlines just how dramatically the tournament's competitive landscape has shifted.

His MVP award places him in elite company. Previous winners have almost always been established internationals. Suryavanshi now sits alongside them.

Rabada Claims Purple Cap

On the bowling front, Gujarat Titans' Kagiso Rabada claimed the Purple Cap with 29 wickets across the season — a tally that, on another year, might have drawn more attention. The South African pacer was Gujarat's standout performer, even as his side fell short in the final.

RCB's Prize Money: Less Than One Player's Salary

The numbers around RCB's championship earnings make for an interesting conversation. The franchise received ₹20 crore as winning prize money — a significant sum by any standard, except when placed next to the salary of their most celebrated player. Virat Kohli earned ₹21 crore for IPL 2026, meaning the champion team's prize pot was actually smaller than what their star batter took home individually.

Runners-up Gujarat Titans received ₹12.5 crore.

Patidar Enters Rare Company

RCB captain Rajat Patidar became only the third captain in IPL history to successfully defend the title, joining MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma in that exclusive bracket. It is a distinction that tends to age well.

The Road to Three

With two titles now, RCB trail Kolkata Knight Riders — three-time winners — by one. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings remain the benchmark at five each. RCB's consecutive triumphs suggest they are building towards that conversation, though the IPL has a habit of humbling teams that get ahead of themselves.

For now, the franchise and its long-suffering fanbase will take the moment. Two in a row is no accident.

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Make Cut in IPL 2026 Best XI of Week 1

Sameer Rizvi grabs Orange Cap with 160 runs while Ravi Bishnoi takes Purple Cap as IPL 2026 Best XI is picked after thrilling opening week full of high-scoring chases and last-ball thrillers.

RCB Tops League Table  

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru sit pretty at the top of the IPL 2026 points table with four points from two wins and a commanding net run rate of 2.501. Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings also remain unbeaten with two victories each, while Chennai Super Kings languish at the bottom after three straight losses.

Rizvi Bags Orange Cap  

Delhi Capitals batter Sameer Rizvi has been the standout batsman of Week 1. He smashed an unbeaten 70 off 47 balls against Lucknow Super Giants, stitching a 119-run stand with Tristan Stubbs to seal a six-wicket win. In the very next game against Mumbai Indians, Rizvi blasted 90 off 51 deliveries to chase down 163. His 160 runs in two matches have handed him the Orange Cap.

Bishnoi Claims Purple Cap  

Rajasthan Royals’ Ravi Bishnoi has taken the Purple Cap with five wickets. The wrist-spinner turned the game against Gujarat Titans with a match-winning four-wicket haul, proving once again why he was signed for big money. His ability to bowl in the middle overs and death has already made him the most impactful bowler of the season so far.

Salt Delivers Fielding Heroics  

Kolkata Knight Riders’ Phil Salt produced the catch of the tournament on opening night itself. He sprinted to his right and pulled off a one-handed stunner to dismiss Ishan Kishan for 80. Salt had earlier taken Travis Head and also played a key role in sending Heinrich Klaasen back, underlining his brilliance in the field.

Kohli, Rohit Shine Bright  

Virat Kohli has looked in vintage touch, scoring 97 runs across two matches, including an unbeaten 69 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma too announced his arrival with 113 runs in two outings, briefly holding the Orange Cap. Both senior stars have comfortably made the cut in the IPL 2026 Best XI.

Young Stars Impress  

Besides Rizvi, several young talents caught the eye. Angkrish Raghuvanshi slammed two half-centuries in as many games for Kolkata Knight Riders. Nitish Kumar Reddy shone as an all-rounder with 96 runs and two wickets. Cooper Connolly’s match-winning 72 against Gujarat Titans also earned him a place. Notably, players such as Abhishek Sharma could not make the final XI despite early expectations.

IPL 2026 Best XI of Week 1  

1. Virat Kohli  

2. Rohit Sharma  

3. Cooper Connolly  

4. Angkrish Raghuvanshi  

5. Sameer Rizvi  

6. Ishan Kishan  

7. Nitish Kumar Reddy  

8. Jacob Duffy  

9. T Natarajan  

10. Ravi Bishnoi  

11. Vijaykumar Vyshak  

Jacob Duffy and Vijaykumar Vyshak have taken five and five wickets respectively for RCB and CSK, while T Natarajan has four scalps to his name.

The opening week of IPL 2026 has already delivered edge-of-the-seat contests, with teams chasing down 200-plus totals and bowlers defending modest totals in the final over. Fans across the country have been glued to their screens, making it one of the most entertaining starts in recent seasons.

What Lies Ahead  

With Week 2 set to begin shortly, defending champions RCB will look to maintain their unbeaten run while CSK and KKR will be desperate for their first wins. The race for the Orange and Purple Caps is wide open, and every match from now on will carry added weight as teams jostle for playoff spots.