IPL 2026 has scripted history. Rajasthan Royals’ 15-year-old batting prodigy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, has officially shattered Chris Gayle’s long-standing record for most sixes in a single IPL season.
The iconic milestone was reached on Wednesday, during the high-octane IPL 2026 Eliminator match between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
The Moment History Was Rewritten
Entering the Eliminator match at the cusp of breaking the record, the teenage opener turned the game into an exhibition of power-hitting. The record-breaking six arrived in the fourth over of the RR innings against SRH bowler Sakib Hussain.
In just three deliveries, the young Indian equaled and then smoothly surpassed the tally set by Gayle. He first lofted a slower, full ball outside off-stump over extra-cover, before unleashing a mammoth hit over long-off. His place in history books was sealed when he powered a short ball behind square leg for his 61st six of the season, eclipsing Chris Gayle’s 59 sixes from 2012.
Post that maximum, the young prodigy registered his half-century in a rapid 16 balls, firing Rajasthan Royals to 63 for no loss in the first four overs.
We are out of words 👏👏
9⃣7⃣(29) of absolute force from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 🔥🔥
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/OBIYYIuhbt #TATAIPL | #Eliminator | #TheFinalLeap | #SRHvRR pic.twitter.com/gtt63Wwkx1
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 27, 2026
Elite Club: Most Sixes in a Single IPL Season
With this fiery performance, Sooryavanshi now leads an elite list of the tournament’s power-hitters:
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR, 2026): 61* sixes
Chris Gayle (RCB, 2012): 59 sixes
Andre Russell (KKR, 2019): 52 sixes
Chris Gayle (RCB, 2013): 51 sixes
Jos Buttler (RR, 2022): 45 sixes
Tearing Apart the SRH Bowling Gameplan
Sunrisers Hyderabad and skipper Pat Cummins deployed an aggressive gameplan at the outset to stifle the 15-year-old. Cummins opened the attack with extreme boundary protection at square leg and midwicket, keeping deliveries full and tight to not give the youngster the room to free his arms.
Although Cummins kept his lines and lengths largely on point for the first couple of balls, any slightest error was punished. Sooryavanshi dispatched Cummins over mid-off for a maximum on the first ball where the length was even slightly loose.
The aggressive move by SRH to have Eshan Malinga bowl the second over ahead of Praful Hinge backfired. While Malinga maintained remarkable discipline in his first five balls, a final ball full-toss was smashed by the teenage prodigy over backward square leg for six.
By the time Cummins bowled his second over, the 15-year-old had completely torn apart the field, with exceptional composure, hitting the slower ones over the bowler’s head and rotating the strike skillfully. The constant onslaught compelled SRH to place defensive fields and opt for death-over tactics right in the powerplay, further reinforcing the young gun’s position as the breakout star of IPL 2026.
