IPL eliminator: Rajasthan Royals’ Sooryavanshi breaks season sixes record in playoff victory

The Indian Premier League’s eliminator match between the Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad concluded with a decisive 47-run victory for the Royals, driven by a record-breaking innings from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The teenager scored 97 runs off 29 balls, including 12 sixes, to surpass Chris Gayle’s previous record of 59 sixes in a single IPL season. His performance, which also saw him named player of the match, has drawn widespread acclaim from cricket legends and commentators regarding his technical proficiency and long-term potential.

Sooryavanshi’s innings included three consecutive sixes off Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins. He finished just three balls short of Gayle’s record for the fastest IPL century, which stands at 30 balls. The dismissal occurred after he miscued an upper cut to deep third, where he was caught by Smaran Ravichandran. Sooryavanshi later stated that his immediate focus was on contributing to the team’s victory rather than personal milestones, noting that his broader goal remains winning trophies.

The victory keeps the Rajasthan Royals’ playoff hopes alive, setting up a second qualifier against the Gujarat Titans on Friday. The winner of that fixture will advance to Sunday’s final against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Sooryavanshi has been the season’s leading run-scorer, amassing 680 runs at a strike rate of 242.85. His rapid rise includes becoming the youngest player to score a T20 hundred and hitting the first ball of his IPL career for a six at age 14.

Sunrisers Hyderabad assistant coach James Franklin described the teenager’s talent as "freakish" and "scary," particularly given the potential for a 25-year career. Franklin noted that Sooryavanshi’s ability to adapt to bowling variations and dictate play makes him a difficult opponent to contain. He emphasised that the margin for error when bowling to the teenager is extremely small, highlighting the strategic challenges his presence poses to opposing teams.

Former India batter Sachin Tendulkar praised Sooryavanshi’s technique and freedom of play on social media, calling the innings spectacular. Former England captain Michael Vaughan labelled him the best T20 opener in the world and urged the national selection committee to include him in the Indian side. Cricket author Bharat Sundaresan described the performance as "era-defining," while West Indies commentator Ian Bishop noted the rarity of the stroke quality displayed. Former India batter Mohammed Kaif also joined the chorus of praise, referring to Sooryavanshi as a "wonder boy."