Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is only 15, yet he is already rewriting parts of IPL history as a wave of boundary-hitting threatens to topple records that have stood for years. The latest evidence came on Thursday night, when the teenage batter delivered a stunning 97 against Sunrisers Hyderabad—an innings that not only showcased his maturity at the highest level, but also set the stage for Rajasthan Royals to book their place in Qualifier 2.
Sooryavanshi’s knock was defined by power and precision. He struck 12 sixes during the innings, moving beyond a long-standing benchmark that had remained untouched for more than a decade. With the season already producing momentum, he surpassed Chris Gayle’s mark—Gayle had hit 59 sixes in the 2012 campaign—by reaching 65 and continuing to climb.
His hitting has quickly turned him into one of the competition’s most dangerous batters this season, capable of shifting match momentum with clean contact and aggressive intent. There was also another historic milestone within sight: the fastest IPL century. That record is held by Gayle, who completed his hundred in 30 balls, while Sooryavanshi was left agonisingly short, dismissed for 97 off just 29 deliveries. The manner of his dismissal triggered strong reactions across the cricket world, with many feeling he was on course to rewrite yet another IPL landmark before the final hurdle.
Gayle himself added to the celebration of the young star, posting a message praising Sooryavanshi’s big performance after the match. The legendary West Indies opener highlighted the entertainment value of the innings and labelled him a “new six machine” in his tribute on X.
Even after coming so close to a century, Sooryavanshi made it clear that personal milestones were never his focus during the innings. Speaking at the post-match presentation, he said his attention was fixed on helping the team by scoring as many runs as possible, and that he only learned about missing the fastest IPL hundred record after the game had ended.
- Sooryavanshi said he found out about the fastest-century miss after the match was over.
- He explained that his priority throughout was to keep striking for boundaries, and that future centuries are still part of his plan.
- He added that his main objective was maximising Rajasthan Royals’ total, with his approach centred on executing his batting plan and correcting any gaps.
- On preparation, he described analysing how to handle the bowlers and judging the size and shape of the boundaries.
- He noted that when his intent is clear, the bowling side comes under pressure, and then he simply tries to play his natural game.
- With the side having won, he said the team would celebrate and aim to carry the momentum into the next fixture.
In the end, Sooryavanshi’s 97 delivered exactly what Rajasthan Royals needed while simultaneously putting elite records under intense pressure—confirming that even at 15, he is already playing like a batter built for the biggest moments.
