The 2026 season of the Indian Premier League has introduced cricket fans to a stunning new superstar. At just 15 years and 26 days old, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has become the biggest talking point of the tournament with his fearless batting for Rajasthan Royals.
After his explosive 38 ball 93 against Lucknow Super Giants during a successful 221 run chase, former India captain Anil Kumble made a huge statement. Kumble believes the teenage batter has all the qualities needed to break records held by Chris Gayle.
Why Anil Kumble Believes in Sooryavanshi
Anil Kumble explained that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reminds him of Chris Gayle because of his rare power and fearless mindset.
One of the biggest reasons behind Kumble’s comparison is Sooryavanshi’s off side hitting. The young batter has shown the ability to smash fast bowlers for sixes over extra cover with ease. Very few players in world cricket can hit in that area consistently, and Chris Gayle was famous for doing exactly that during his peak years.
Kumble also praised the teenager’s calm attitude under pressure. Despite being only 15 years old, Sooryavanshi has looked completely fearless against experienced IPL bowlers. Former cricketers like Irfan Pathan have also pointed out that bowlers already seem nervous while bowling to him, similar to the fear Gayle created during his best IPL seasons.
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Which Records are Broken by Vaibhav Suryavanshi?
Fans across the cricket world are asking, “Which records are broken by Vaibhav Suryavanshi?” The answer is simple: a lot of them.
The young RR opener has already created history multiple times during IPL 2026.
Youngest Batter to Score 500 Runs in an IPL Season
Sooryavanshi became the youngest player ever to score 500 runs in a single IPL season. He achieved the milestone at the age of just 15 years and 26 days.
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He broke records previously held by players like Prithvi Shaw, Sanju Samson, and Rishabh Pant.
First Indian to Hit 50 Plus Sixes in One IPL Season
Another huge achievement came when Sooryavanshi crossed 50 sixes in IPL 2026. No Indian batter had ever reached that mark before in a single season.
After smashing 10 sixes against Lucknow Super Giants, his season tally reached 53 maximums. Before him, only Chris Gayle and Andre Russell had crossed the 50 six mark in IPL history.
Highest Strike Rate in IPL History
What record did Vaibhav Suryavanshi break in IPL? Perhaps the most unbelievable one is his strike rate.
The RR opener is currently scoring at a strike rate of 236.3 while also crossing 500 runs. This is now the highest strike rate ever recorded in IPL history for a batter with more than 500 runs in a season.
He has gone past Andre Russell’s famous 2019 strike rate of 204.8, which many fans believed would never be broken.
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Sooryavanshi Will Break Gayle’s Sixes Record
Chris Gayle’s record of 59 sixes in a single IPL season has stood untouched since 2012. But now, Sooryavanshi will break Gayle’s sixes record if he continues his current form.
The teenage sensation already has 53 sixes and needs only six more to equal Gayle’s legendary mark. With Rajasthan Royals still fighting for a playoff spot, Sooryavanshi could soon become the new king of IPL power hitting.
Earlier this season, he had already announced himself by scoring a stunning 35 ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the fastest IPL hundred by an Indian batter. The innings came close to Gayle’s all time 30 ball IPL century record.
At just 15 years old, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is not only breaking records. He is changing the future of IPL batting itself.
