Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s innings in Jaipur began in a rather hesitant fashion on Tuesday night, with the Rajasthan Royals opener managing only five runs from his initial eight deliveries. However, the tempo transformed dramatically as he went on to post a brilliant 93 off just 38 balls, featuring a rapid 23-ball half-century, steering Rajasthan to victory over Lucknow Super Giants and keeping their playoff ambitions firmly in sight. Beyond the sheer damage he inflicted, what stood out to many—especially former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan—was a quiet adjustment in the way Sooryavanshi approached his batting, one that even sparked talk of a comparison with Chris Gayle.
Pathan praises the off-side innovation
Speaking on JioHotstar following the match, Pathan highlighted that while Sooryavanshi has often been viewed primarily as a leg-side hitter, the most striking aspect of his knock was the variety he showed on the off-side. Pathan described the performance as evidence of growing control and composure.
“This was unbelievable,” he said. “The maturity he showed was the biggest highlight for me. When we watch Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, we always say he’s a very good leg-side player. But the way he played on the off-side in this game was outstanding. He has great control over his back-lift. He was playing over covers and even played an upper-cut over third man. It is very difficult to stop him.”
Milestone sixes and a possible Gayle record
During his innings, Sooryavanshi also reached a notable landmark, becoming the youngest batter to register 50 sixes in a single IPL season. With that surge, his total moved to 53 maximums in IPL 2026. With Rajasthan still scheduled to play one remaining league match, Pathan believes the opener now has a realistic chance to surpass Chris Gayle’s long-standing IPL record for the most sixes in a single season.
The West Indies great had struck 59 sixes for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2012.
“Same fear” as Gayle’s reign
Pathan added, “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. 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.”
Rajasthan Royals will conclude their league stage campaign against Mumbai Indians on May 24 at the Wankhede Stadium.
