Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Claims Can’t Care Less About Chris Gayle – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Shines: Rajasthan Royals Star Ignores Chris Gayle Record

A Star is Born in New Chandigarh

In the high-stakes atmosphere of the IPL 2026 Eliminator, Rajasthan Royals’ young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered a performance for the ages. Faced with the pressure of a knockout game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the 15-year-old opener displayed nerves of steel and unmatched power-hitting, steamrolling the opposition to propel his franchise into the second qualifier.

His innings was a masterclass in aggressive cricket. Facing just 29 balls, Sooryavanshi clobbered five boundaries and an astonishing 12 sixes, finishing with 97 runs. This performance not only demoralized the SRH bowling attack but also set the tone for a commanding victory for the Royals.

Missing History by a Whisker

The cricketing world was buzzing as the youngster approached what would have been the fastest century in IPL history. Chris Gayle’s legendary 30-ball ton has long been the gold standard for explosive batting, and Sooryavanshi was agonizingly close to surpassing it. With 97 runs off 28 deliveries, a single boundary would have etched his name into the record books.

However, an attempted upper cut off Praful Hinge found the hands of Ravichandran Smaran, ending his innings just three runs short of a century. Despite the near-miss, Sooryavanshi’s reaction was surprisingly calm. In the post-match presentation, he revealed that he was completely unaware of the looming record. His mindset, at just 15 years of age, showed maturity beyond his years.

“Mere 100s lagte rahenge,” the youngster noted. “I found out only after I got out. At that time, my only focus was to contribute as much as I could because centuries will keep happening, but right now the focus is on how to win the trophy.”

Rewriting the Record Books

While the fastest century eluded him, Sooryavanshi did manage to eclipse one of Chris Gayle’s most prestigious milestones. By smashing 12 sixes during his innings, he extended his personal tally for the IPL 2026 season to 65 sixes. This figure surpasses the record previously held by Gayle, who struck 59 sixes during his historic 2012 campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. It is a testament to the sheer destructive capability the young Rajasthan Royals opener brings to the crease.

Dominant Display Leads to Qualifier 2

The match itself was a dominant display from the Royals, who posted a daunting total of 243-8. Besides Sooryavanshi’s heroics, Dhruv Jurel provided significant momentum, blasting 50 runs off just 21 balls to keep the run rate soaring. For SRH, fast bowler Praful Hinge was the standout performer, claiming three wickets, but the damage had already been done.

In response, Sunrisers Hyderabad started brightly thanks to a quick-fire 33 off 11 balls from Ishan Kishan. However, the Royals’ bowling unit proved too disciplined to be contained. A clinical bowling display from Jofra Archer (3-58), Nandre Burger (2-26), Sushant Mishra (2-21), and Ravindra Jadeja (2-21) dismantled the SRH batting lineup, wrapping up their innings for 196 runs.

Looking Ahead

With this emphatic win, the Rajasthan Royals have firmly established themselves as title contenders. They are now set to face the Gujarat Titans in the all-important Qualifier 2 on Friday, May 29, in New Chandigarh. As the team prepares for the next phase of the tournament, all eyes will undoubtedly remain on Sooryavanshi to see if he can continue his explosive form and lead his team to glory.

The journey to the final is never easy, but with a player of such immense talent and unwavering focus in their ranks, the Rajasthan Royals have every reason to dream of lifting the coveted IPL silverware this season.