'New six machine': IPL: Chris Gayle lauds 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
What's the story
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the Rajasthan Royals teen prodigy, stole the show in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh. He scored a record-breaking 97 off just 29 balls, hitting a whopping 12 sixes in the process. His innings helped his team secure a comfortable 47-run victory and progress to Qualifier 2. The performance was so impressive that it even broke Chris Gayle's long-standing IPL record for most sixes in a season.
Record breaker
'New Six machine': Gayle lauds Sooryavanshi
Sooryavanshi's explosive batting display drew praise from cricket legends worldwide, including the Universe Boss. The West Indies superstar took to social media to commend the young talent after he broke Gayle's record of 59 sixes in a season, which he attained in 2012. "What a phenomenal player Vaibhav is. Great entertainment young man! New Six machine," Gayle wrote.
Team player
Focus was on getting maximum runs: Sooryavanshi
After his record-breaking innings, Sooryavanshi said he wasn't focused on personal milestones. Notably, Sooryavanshi narrowly missed out on scoring the fastest IPL ton. "I got to know after the game," he said. He added, "My focus was on hitting a six. I will score centuries in future, but the focus was on getting maximum runs for the team." Before the ongoing edition, Sooryavanshi admitted that he wants to break Gayle's record of scoring 175* in the IPL.
Match impact
RR beat SRH to reach Qualifier 2
Sooryavanshi's explosive innings helped Rajasthan Royals post a massive total of 243 runs. Chasing the target, Sunrisers Hyderabad coped with early blows and never recovered thereafter. The Orange Army perished for 196 in just 19.2 overs. The win was a collective effort as Jofra Archer also played a key role with the ball, dismissing three SRH batsmen during the Powerplay.