Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again left the cricketing world stunned after his breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls helped Rajasthan Royals knock out Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator. The teenage sensation smashed 12 sixes during a jaw-dropping innings that nearly saw him break Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest century in IPL history. But despite the records, milestones and Player of the Match award, Sooryavanshi insisted his focus remains firmly on helping Rajasthan Royals win the trophy. Speaking after the match, the young opener revealed that he prefers not to overthink situations and instead focuses only on playing the game in front of him. “(Do you celebrate the happiness or is it more like ‘what’s gone is gone, now think ahead’?) When we win, we just take the positive intent forward and move on to the next match. And we try to win the next match in the same way and reach the finals.” Even after producing one of the greatest innings ever seen in an IPL playoff match, Sooryavanshi admitted he keeps his thinking simple before games. “(What’s your mindset going into the next game?) I do think a little bit, but not too much. I just try to play the game I’m in and not overthink. But if I feel there’s something I need to work on, then I look at that.” The RR opener also opened up on the amount of preparation that goes into his fearless batting approach. Despite only being 15, Sooryavanshi explained that he carefully studies opposition bowlers, the pitch and boundary dimensions before going out to bat. “(Tell us about your preparation before the match.) I just think about who the bowlers are in the opposition team, how I can face them on this wicket, how big the boundaries are, just these kinds of things. I just try to stay positive with my intent. When I do that, the bowlers stay under pressure. So I try to continue that and dominate the game.” That positive intent completely overwhelmed the SRH bowling attack in Mullanpur. On a true batting surface, Sooryavanshi toyed with the likes of Pat Cummins and repeatedly launched the ball into the stands as the Australian captain and his leadership group desperately searched for answers. Anything pitched full was smashed straight back over the bowler’s head, while short deliveries disappeared over third man and fine leg with astonishing ease. The teenager eventually fell for 97 after getting caught at third man off Praful Hinge, narrowly missing out on what could have been the fastest century in IPL history. However, Sooryavanshi revealed after the match that he was not even aware of the record during his innings. “(On the ball he was dismissed, was he aware about the record?) 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.” The youngster also explained that he prefers concentrating on his own plans rather than worrying about what the opposition might be trying to do against him. “If I feel I’m having trouble somewhere, I work on that. I don’t think about what the opposition is planning, that’s their plan. I focus on what my plan is, and I just try to play normal cricket.” Even without the century, Sooryavanshi’s innings rewrote IPL history. He broke Gayle’s 14-year-old record for the most sixes in a single IPL season and now has a staggering 65 maximums in IPL 2026. At just 15 years old, Sooryavanshi continues to produce innings that feel almost impossible, yet the teenager himself remains remarkably calm, grounded and entirely focused on winning matches for Rajasthan Royals.
