Former India captain Anil Kumble has heaped praise on 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, highlighting his rare combination of raw hitting power and off-the-ball maturity. Kumble believes the Rajasthan Royals youngster could even overhaul Chris Gayle’s long-standing mark for the most sixes in a single IPL campaign, after Sooryavanshi’s explosive display helped RR chase down a 221-run target against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Jaipur.
Key takeaways
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck a match-winning 93 off 38 balls in Rajasthan Royals’ chase versus Lucknow Super Giants.
- Rajasthan successfully hunted down LSG’s 221-run total in 19.1 overs, sealing the win by seven wickets.
- Sooryavanshi has reached 53 sixes in the IPL 2026 season, after becoming the first Indian batter to post 50 sixes in a single edition.
- Anil Kumble pointed to Sooryavanshi’s calm, seasoned mindset as a standout trait for his age.
- LSG finished on 220/5 after being put in to bat first, with the innings anchored by Josh Inglis and Mitchell Marsh.
Kumble’s praise and Sooryavanshi’s record pace
Anil Kumble, speaking on Star Sports, was struck by how Sooryavanshi plays with fearlessness even as a teenager. He specifically applauded the way the youngster clears the boundary repeatedly with striking ease, describing his ability to launch sixes over cover as something “very few batters” can do. Kumble also noted that Sooryavanshi’s temperament appears unusually steady, saying that every time the teenager speaks, he carries a maturity beyond his years—an important quality at a time when attention and praise can quickly overwhelm young players.
Kumble added that Sooryavanshi has already begun building a legacy of his own. The youngster became the first Indian to reach 50 sixes in a single IPL season and has now tallied 53 sixes in the 2026 campaign. In the list of the most maximums in an IPL season, Chris Gayle leads with 59 in 2012, followed by Sooryavanshi’s 53* in 2026. The remaining entries cited were Andre Russell’s 52 in 2019, Chris Gayle’s 51 in 2013, Jos Buttler’s 45 in 2022, Chris Gayle’s 44 in 2011, and Abhishek Sharma’s 42 in 2024.
Continuing his thoughts, Kumble referenced Sooryavanshi’s own words after the match: that it is only the start of his journey and, if it lasts long enough, he can create more records. Kumble also underlined that RR still have one league game left before the playoffs, meaning the teenager could get further opportunities to add to his tally. In Kumble’s view, it is entirely plausible that Sooryavanshi could break Gayle’s benchmark and make history.
LSG set 220/5 in Jaipur, RR chased it down in style
Turning to the match itself, LSG posted 220/5 in their IPL 2026 innings after being invited to bat first by Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur. The total was driven by a powerful start produced by Josh Inglis and Mitchell Marsh, who combined to give their side momentum from the outset. LSG raced to 83/0 in the powerplay, which was noted as their fourth-highest powerplay score of the season.
Inglis then accelerated, reaching a 30-ball fifty, and the pair stretched their opening stand to 109 runs. Inglis eventually fell for 60, but Marsh kept the pressure on, moving to his own 25-ball half-century and continuing to punish the bowling. Marsh finished with 96 off 57 deliveries, keeping the innings firmly on track for a big score.
Skipper Rishabh Pant contributed late to help LSG surpass the 200-run mark, but both Pant and Marsh were run out in the final over. Despite those dismissals, LSG ended with 220/5. For RR, Yash Raj Punja took figures of 2/35, while Jofra Archer picked up a wicket.
In response, Sooryavanshi delivered a ruthless chase for Rajasthan. He smashed 93 off just 38 balls, including 10 sixes and seven fours, quickly taking the game away from LSG. Alongside him, Jurel played his role with quickfire scoring, making 53 off 38 deliveries with 10 sixes and seven fours. Together, the duo powered RR to a seven-wicket triumph, reaching the target in 19.1 overs.
With the win, Rajasthan moved up to fourth place in the IPL points table, collecting 14 points from their campaign so far.
