WWE star Drew McIntyre drops unexpected IPL tribute to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi before Rajasthan Royals playoff clash

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s growing popularity has now reached beyond cricket. Just hours before Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 playoff clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, WWE star Drew McIntyre surprised fans with a viral Instagram video featuring the young RR batter’s jersey. The Scottish wrestler was seen training in the gym while wearing Rajasthan Royals’ shirt with “Sooryavanshi” printed on the back instead of his own name.The clip quickly grabbed attention online and became one of the most talked-about crossover moments between cricket and WWE this season. According to Drew McIntyre’s official Instagram post, the video received more than 420,000 likes and over 2,000 comments within hours. Rajasthan Royals and captain Riyan Parag also reacted in the comments section. McIntyre added the caption “The Chosen One,” a line many fans connected with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise in Indian cricket at just 15 years old.

Drew McIntyre’s viral Vaibhav Sooryavanshi video arrives as Rajasthan Royals prepare for Sunrisers Hyderabad clash

The video showed Drew McIntyre doing back and triceps workouts while wearing Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 jersey with “Sooryavanshi” written across the back. Fans quickly noticed that the WWE star did not choose his own name for the shirt and instead picked teenage cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. That small detail made the crossover even more surprising for both wrestling and cricket fans. McIntyre uploaded the clip on his official Instagram account with the caption, “The Chosen One.” The phrase is closely linked with the WWE superstar himself, but many fans felt it also perfectly matched Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise in IPL 2026. Within hours, the post crossed 420,000 likes and received thousands of comments. Rajasthan Royals and captain Riyan Parag were also among those who reacted to the viral video. This is not the first time Drew McIntyre has shown interest in cricket culture. The former WWE Champion has previously been seen wearing cricket jerseys during workouts and public appearances. However, choosing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s jersey created a completely unexpected connection between WWE and Indian cricket, especially during the IPL playoffs when fan attention is already very high.Many social media users praised McIntyre for recognizing one of India’s youngest cricket stars on such a big platform. Fans from both sports started sharing the clip across Instagram and X, with several calling it one of the most random yet entertaining sports crossovers of the year.The video also arrived on the same day Rajasthan Royals prepared for their IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, which added even more attention around the post.