Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued to write his name into IPL history with a stunning display in the 2026 Eliminator, and what stood out just as much as the numbers was the composure. Even while his innings was unfolding, the Rajasthan Royals batter looked unshaken by the knockout weight of the occasion as he powered his way to 97 off 29 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Key takeaways
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck 97 runs from 29 deliveries in the IPL 2026 Eliminator versus Sunrisers Hyderabad.
- His assault featured 12 sixes, putting him on the verge of breaking Chris Gayle’s mark for the quickest IPL century.
- Despite the high-pressure knockout scenario, he said his coaches told him to stick to practice habits—enjoy the game and avoid pressure.
- Sooryavanshi suggested the Royals’ 243 for 8 could still have gone beyond 260, even after his dismissal.
- He finished one short of a century, dismissed in the eighth over by Praful Hinge at third man.
- He also set a new IPL record for the most sixes in a single season, reaching 65 maximums in IPL 2026.
Calm under knockout pressure as the boundaries kept flying
During the mid-innings break, while the crowd and the match situation were building to fever pitch, Sooryavanshi spoke to the broadcasters about how he handled the knockout atmosphere. He revealed that although the game was clearly a major one, the pressure didn’t change his intent. In his view, the tournament’s do-or-die nature wasn’t something he allowed to dictate his mindset; instead, he focused on executing what he had been working on in practice.
Facing a Sunrisers bowling unit led by Pat Cummins, the Rajasthan Royals opener launched a brutal, high-impact spell of hitting. The innings unfolded with a barrage of power—12 big sixes that repeatedly flipped momentum in favour of the batters on a surface that played into clean strokeplay.
Sooryavanshi also addressed a question about whether the knockout setting ever registered in his mind. His response pointed to a simple approach: the coaching staff’s message was to keep doing exactly what he does in training—enjoy the match and don’t let the occasion weigh on him.
Near-record century, then dismissal details from third man
His dominance was so relentless that Sunrisers captaincy and leadership discussions were reportedly triggered after almost every boundary as the batter kept finding the gaps and clearing the rope. Even when the match threatened to become chaotic, Sooryavanshi continued to attack with confidence.
At one point, the broadcast asked whether the boundaries felt small during his sweeping sequence of sixes. The teenager’s answer was direct and emphatic: he did not feel that way, leaving no doubt that the size of the ground did not limit his intent.
After bringing up 97, he narrowly missed out on a century. In the eighth over, he was caught at third man off Praful Hinge, falling just three runs short of what could have become one of the most memorable IPL innings ever.
When asked about the dismissal, Sooryavanshi explained that the shot selection changed after he noticed the fielder. He said he played the stroke in response to the position, which led to a mistimed effort. He also added that if he had gone towards third man, it likely would have cleared the boundary comfortably—however, he attempted to hit it straight, and that adjustment cost him his century.
Was 243 enough? Sooryavanshi still felt more could be scored
Even with a huge total on the board—Rajasthan Royals posting 243 for 8—Sooryavanshi did not treat the score as a ceiling. In the mid-innings conversation, he admitted that from his perspective the team had still left runs behind. He also indicated that the innings had the potential to reach 260-plus, and that once the innings ended, the Royals would shift focus to defending whatever score they had managed to set and executing their planned approach.
Record-breaking sixes rewrite IPL season milestones
While the century miss was the headline moment, the innings ultimately rewrote multiple IPL milestones. Sooryavanshi broke Chris Gayle’s 14-year-old record for the most sixes in a single IPL season. With his latest surge, he now has 65 sixes in IPL 2026, extending his lead in the season’s maximums race and cementing his status as one of the most destructive hitters of the campaign.
