Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has lavished praise on teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, claiming the youngster is beginning to spark the same kind of dread in opposition bowlers that once surrounded T20 icon Chris Gayle at his peak. Pathan also suggested Sooryavanshi is now genuinely threatening Gayle’s long-standing IPL mark of 59 sixes in a single season.
Rajasthan Royals kept their IPL 2026 playoff chances firmly in play with a thrilling seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. The victory was powered once again by another astonishing spell from the 15-year-old, who turned the chase into a statement of intent. Rajasthan chased down a demanding target of 221, with Sooryavanshi igniting the innings in style—hammering 93 off only 38 balls. His knock featured seven fours and 10 massive sixes, leaving him with a staggering strike rate of 244.74.
The explosive knock also placed Sooryavanshi in the record books. He became the first Indian batter ever to reach 50 sixes in a single IPL season, further underlining how quickly he is rewriting the limits of power-hitting in the format.
Earlier, Lucknow Super Giants had laid down a strong foundation by posting 220/5. The innings was driven by a commanding start through Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis, who put on a crucial partnership to set up a big total. Marsh struck 96 off 57 deliveries, while Inglis blazed 60 off just 29 balls. For Rajasthan, Yash Raj Punia produced the key breakthrough spell, finishing with figures of 2/35.
During the run chase, Yashasvi Jaiswal gave Rajasthan an early boost. Sooryavanshi, though, began with a slower rhythm, managing only five runs from his opening 10 balls. Once he found his timing, the teenager took control completely—smashing 24 runs in one over against Akash Singh. From there, he accelerated to a stunning half-century in just 23 balls, before continuing to dismantle the bowling attack.
After the match, Pathan pointed to the composure and expanded shot-making range as the most striking features of Sooryavanshi’s innings. “This was unbelievable. The maturity he showed was the highlight for me. We always say whenever we watch Vaibhav Sooryavanshi that he’s a very good leg-side player, but the way he played on the off-side in this game was outstanding,” Pathan said on JioStar.
Pathan also focused on the technical control behind the hitting. “He has great control over his back-lift. He was driving over covers and even played an upper-cut over third man. It is very difficult to stop him,” he added.
The former India all-rounder then highlighted the tempo shift across the innings. “In his first 10 balls, he was batting at a strike rate of less than 100, and by the end of the innings, he had scored 93 runs off just 38 balls,” Pathan noted.
Pathan went on to draw a direct comparison with Chris Gayle, stating that bowlers are starting to feel a familiar kind of pressure when facing Sooryavanshi — the same fear they once experienced against the West Indies legend. “With 53 sixes, he is actually going after Chris Gayle’s record of 59 sixes, which has stood since 2012. As bowlers, we were always scared of facing Chris Gayle. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is creating that same fear, and Gayle’s record is definitely in danger,” Pathan concluded.
