Daijiworld Media Network (DMN) - Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, May 30: Kumar Sangakkara believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is ready for international cricket and could receive an India call-up in the near future following his remarkable season for Rajasthan Royals.

Despite Rajasthan Royals' seven-wicket defeat to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, the 15-year-old finished the tournament with the Orange Cap after a stellar campaign that included three scores above 90 in his last four innings.

Speaking after the match, Sangakkara, who serves as Rajasthan Royals' head coach and director of cricket, said the franchise was proud of the youngster's achievements and was focused on helping him continue his development.

"We are very, very proud of him. We want to ensure he keeps going, keeps that intent, keeps that no-fear attitude and keeps growing," Sangakkara said.

The former Sri Lankan captain described Sooryavanshi's 96-run knock against Gujarat Titans as one of his most impressive innings, particularly given the difficult conditions and the pressure of wickets falling at the other end.

Sangakkara praised the youngster's ability to assess match situations and highlighted the maturity he has displayed throughout the tournament.

Asked whether Sooryavanshi was ready for international cricket, Sangakkara expressed confidence in the teenager's ability to handle bigger challenges.

"You never know if anyone's ready until they play, and with everything Vaibhav has shown against some of the best bowlers in the world, I think he's more than ready to take on any challenge that you throw at him. I'm sure he'll get that call-up very, very soon," he said.

Sangakkara revealed that the franchise has a structured plan to manage the youngster's growth and development.

He said the Royals avoid burdening Sooryavanshi with unnecessary pressure and instead encourage him to maintain a clear mindset while continuing his preparation and learning.

"He comes to all our team meetings, contributes, listens, does a lot of homework, watches videos and prepares really well. We don't want to clutter his mind too much," Sangakkara said.

The former batter added that the franchise would continue to monitor Sooryavanshi closely during the off-season, with support from the medical team and training opportunities planned through Rajasthan Royals camps.

Reflecting on the Royals' overall campaign, Sangakkara praised the team's resilience despite injuries, inconsistent performances and limited expectations at the start of the season.

Captain Riyan Parag had remarked after the match that the team was not expected to qualify for the playoffs, but still managed to reach the final four.

Sangakkara said he was proud of the players for remaining focused through difficult phases and always giving their best for the team.

He also emphasised that Rajasthan Royals had moved away from being viewed primarily as a developmental side and were now firmly focused on building squads capable of winning titles.

"Vaibhav is an outlier. We bought him because we believed he was good enough to play in our first XI. For the last four years, our mindset has been about winning matches and building a team that can compete for championships," he said.

Sangakkara also praised Parag's first season as captain, saying the young skipper handled leadership responsibilities well and would continue to grow with experience.

While Rajasthan Royals' campaign ended in Qualifier 2, Sangakkara said the season demonstrated that hard work, belief and teamwork could produce special results despite limited expectations at the outset.