'New Six Machine...': Chris Gayle Awestruck By Six-Hitting Pedigree Of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced a ferocious 97 off 29 balls to drive Rajasthan Royals past Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs in the IPL 2026 Eliminator, sending Rajasthan Royals into Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans. The 15-year-old opener struck 12 sixes, missed a maiden IPL century by three runs, yet shattered long-standing tournament records.

The teenager’s assault also pushed Sunrisers Hyderabad out of the contest early in a steep chase, as the side folded for 196 in 19.2 overs. England fast bowler Jofra Archer backed the batting effort with a decisive new-ball spell, removing Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Ishan Kishan inside the powerplay.

'New Six Machine...': Universe Boss Awestruck By Sooryavanshi's Six-Hitting Pedigree

Across the season, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi moved past Chris Gayle’s mark for most sixes in a single IPL edition, finishing this match on 65 maximums compared with Gayle’s 59 from 2015. The 'Universe Boss’ responded quickly, hailing the Rajasthan Royals opener and calling Vaibhav Sooryavanshi the "new six machine" after the record changed hands.

Chris Gayle expanded on that praise with a message that captured global attention. "What a phenomenal player Vaibhav is. Great entertainment, young man! New Six machine," Gayle wrote, underlining how quickly Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has impressed senior stars with clean striking and fearless tempo on a high-pressure knockout stage.

'My Focus Was...' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Reveals Mentality During IPL Eliminator

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s scoring burst featured relentless hitting through and over the leg side, plus clean lofted strokes down the ground. The innings rewrote the game situation within a few overs and left Sunrisers Hyderabad scrambling for control, as field changes and bowling shifts failed to slow the scoring rate.

Speaking after the win, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi revealed there was little awareness of the fastest IPL hundred record during the chase for runs. "I got to know after the game," Vaibhav Sooryavanshi said at the presentation. "My focus was on hitting a six. I will score centuries in the future, but the focus was on getting maximum runs for the team. I just work on my plan, and if there are any shortcomings, I just try to work on that," Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added while reflecting on the approach.

India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav also weighed in, calling the Bihar batter a future standout for the format. On social media, Suryakumar described Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as a "star in making" and added, "Chin up, boy. What a CLASS innings, you've taken everyone's breath away," placing the teenager firmly in the spotlight after the Eliminator.

Once Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s onslaught set a towering total, Jofra Archer’s early strikes ensured Sunrisers Hyderabad could not recover, and the 47-run margin reflected control with bat and ball. Rajasthan Royals now move to IPL Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans, carrying form, confidence, and a new six-hitting record into the contest.