Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Aims for T20 Milestones

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old sensation from Rajasthan Royals, is determined to break Chris Gayle's T20 record of 175* and become the first player to score a double century in T20 cricket. With impressive performances in IPL and U19 cricket, including record-breaking sixes and centuries, Sooryavanshi is quickly establishing himself as a formidable talent in the cricketing world. His journey from a young prodigy to a record-breaking player is one to watch as he continues to aim for greatness.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 25, 2026, 17:28 IST

Ambitious Goals for a Young Prodigy

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old talent from Rajasthan Royals (RR), has set his sights on surpassing the legendary Chris Gayle's T20 record of 175*. He aspires to become the first player to score a double century in T20 cricket. Sooryavanshi shared his ambitions during an appearance on Kevin Pietersen's YouTube channel, 'The Switch'. When asked about his celebrations after reaching half-centuries, he stated, "Not really, I don't celebrate 50s much." He added, "My goal is to hit 200 in T20s and break Gayle's record."

Chris Gayle's Record

Chris Gayle set the T20 benchmark with his 175* for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against Pune Warriors India (PWI) in IPL 2013. His innings included 13 fours and 17 sixes, achieved in just 66 balls, with a remarkable strike rate of 265.15. Gayle's century in that match, reached in just 30 balls, remains the fastest in IPL history.

Sooryavanshi's IPL Journey

Sooryavanshi made headlines last year as the youngest player in IPL history, debuting at 14. This season, he has been exceptional, amassing 583 runs in 14 matches with an average of 41.64 and a strike rate of 232.27. His performance includes a century and three fifties, with a top score of 103. Notably, he has hit 53 sixes this season, the highest by an Indian in a single IPL edition, just seven short of Gayle's record of 59 sixes from 2012.

Record-Breaking Performances

In the previous IPL season, Sooryavanshi scored a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans, marking the fastest century by an Indian in IPL history and making him the youngest T20 centurion ever.

Dominance in Youth Cricket

During the U19 World Cup this year, Sooryavanshi was the second-highest run-scorer, accumulating 439 runs in seven matches at an average of 62.71 and a strike rate of 169.49, including a century and three fifties. He set a record with 30 sixes in the tournament, surpassing Dewald Brevis' previous record of 18 sixes.

Leading Run-Getter in U19 ODIs

Sooryavanshi is also the top run-scorer for India in U19 ODIs, with 1,412 runs in 25 innings at an impressive average of 56.48 and a strike rate exceeding 165, featuring four centuries and seven fifties.

A Promising Start

Since October 2024, Sooryavanshi has been on an upward trajectory, first gaining attention with a 58-ball century for India U19 against Australia U19, the fastest by an Indian U19 player in Youth Tests.

Record-Breaking Auction

In the IPL mega auction for the 2025 season, he secured a contract worth Rs 1.1 crore with Rajasthan Royals, making him the youngest player in IPL history. In a match against Gujarat Titans, he became the youngest T20 centurion and the first Indian to achieve the fastest IPL fifty. He began his IPL career with a six on his first ball, finishing the season with 252 runs in seven innings at an average of 36.00 and a strike rate of 206.55.

Continued Success

Sooryavanshi's record-breaking journey includes a 52-ball century against England last July, making him the youngest and fastest U19 centurion ever. He also scored 108 off 61 balls against Maharashtra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, becoming the youngest centurion in the tournament's history, and achieved 190 off 84 balls against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, making him the youngest List A centurion and the second-fastest among Indians.