Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary IPL 2026 run has kept widening its reach, and his latest spotlight moment came in the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The Rajasthan Royals teenager produced a stunning knock of 97 from just 29 deliveries, firing 12 sixes in the process and taking the game away with sheer aggression.
Sooryavanshi’s Explosive Eliminator and the Milestones
In that high-pressure contest, the 15-year-old hammered 12 maximums and also surpassed Chris Gayle’s record for the most sixes in a single T20 competition. With the effort, his season total climbed to 65 sixes, underlining how central big-hitting has become to his impact.
The way he went about his work—fearless, fast, and relentlessly attacking—left a string of prominent names stunned, with several current and former stars taking to social media to applaud the innings and his overall development.
Andre Russell was among the first to add his voice, congratulating the youngster while acknowledging how critics will always find reasons to dismiss teenage success. Russell’s message also carried a clear instruction to keep playing with the same intent: see the ball early and hit through it.
Sachin Tendulkar, too, praised the technical side of Sooryavanshi’s batting. He highlighted how the batter’s front-foot movement helps him create space for deliveries targeting his legs, describing the innings as “nothing short of spectacular.”
Yuvraj Singh joined in with his own excitement, posting that the “boss baby” had broken “world bosses” records—an affectionate nod to how dramatically the teenager has taken over the T20 landscape.
Former India batter Mohammed Kaif went a step further in his assessment, calling Sooryavanshi a “future star” and even a “miracle” for Indian cricket, reflecting the belief that the breakthrough is not just a flash but the start of something bigger.
How His Season Has Rewritten IPL Benchmarks
Sooryavanshi’s IPL 2026 campaign has already reshaped several records. He became the youngest batter to reach 600 runs in a single IPL season, and he now also holds the mark for the most sixes in an IPL innings by an Indian batter.
Notably, his 12 sixes versus SRH were the highest ever by a batter in an IPL playoff innings, showing that his timing and power arrive exactly when the stakes are highest.
Numbers Behind the Breakout
Across 15 innings, the left-handed batter has piled up 680 runs at a strike rate above 242. The run tally includes one century and four fifties, making his consistency as impressive as his boundary-hitting.
That attacking momentum has powered Rajasthan Royals into Qualifier 2, and it has firmly established Sooryavanshi as the breakout star of IPL 2026.
