Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has turned the IPL spotlight into a spotlight on youth again. In the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals powerhouse launched a brutal 16-ball fifty at Mullanpur, steering his side to a 47-run victory and booking a berth in Qualifier 2. Rajasthan will now face Gujarat Titans on Friday, with a place in the final on the line in IPL 2026.
Quick facts
- Match: Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad — Eliminator
- Venue mentioned: Mullanpur
- Result: Rajasthan Royals won by 47 runs
- Sooryavanshi milestone: 97 off 29 balls, including 12 sixes
- Key milestone: broke Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in a single IPL season
- Sooryavanshi’s six count before the match: 53 (Gayle’s record was 59)
- Next game: Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans on Friday for a final spot
Sooryavanshi’s innings read like a clean demolition job: 97 runs off just 29 deliveries, laced with 12 maximums. The knock also carried a historic edge, as he surpassed Chris Gayle’s mark for the most sixes in one IPL season. Heading into the Eliminator, he already had 53 sixes—still six short of Gayle’s total of 59.
Talk of the auction price
With the impact of his hitting still ringing in the air, the conversation naturally shifted to what would happen if the teenager ever entered the IPL auction pool. During commentary, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh posed the question to Virender Sehwag about the price Sehwag would be willing to pay for him.
Sehwag didn’t hesitate, saying he would hand over Rs 30 crore. Aakash Chopra, quick on the response, added that he would match the offer “without thinking twice,” as the debate continued around how such innings can translate into enormous auction value.
Sooryavanshi’s own IPL journey has already been tied to a big-money purchase. He was bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.10 crore in the IPL Auction.
So far in IPL 2026, the 15-year-old has featured in 15 matches, collecting 680 runs at an average of 45.33. His strike rate of 242.86 is described as the highest in the ongoing tournament, and he is also currently holding the Orange Cap.
AB de Villiers’ read on the teenager
AB de Villiers heaped praise on Sooryavanshi, highlighting the maturity his game shows at an age when most players are still finding their footing. De Villiers pointed to the youngster’s composure and decisiveness under knockout pressure.
He noted that Sunrisers Hyderabad, including Pat Cummins, kept shifting plans—changing fields frequently and mixing lengths to unsettle his timing—yet Sooryavanshi stayed fully locked into his own rhythm. De Villiers described that level of awareness in a high-stakes match as “remarkable” for someone so young.
De Villiers also focused on the youngster’s preparation habits. He said the most impressive part is the clarity Sooryavanshi already shows around routines at 15—talking about visualising match-ups, studying bowlers, and mentally gearing up before games. In de Villiers’ view, that kind of processing is unusually rare at that stage of development.
He even drew a comparison to Matthew Hayden, the legendary Australian opener known for spending time visualising on the pitch. De Villiers said it reminded him of Hayden’s approach, adding that while routines can evolve across a career, the key point is that Sooryavanshi is building his own methods rather than copying others.
For fans tracking the race for big individual prizes and the twists of the playoff picture, the next chapter is already set: Rajasthan Royals’ Eliminator heroics now face their toughest test yet, against Gujarat Titans, with a final spot at stake on Friday.
