Vaibhav Sooryavanshi breaks Gayle's all-time IPL record for most sixes in a season

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his astonishing rise in the Indian Premier League by breaking Chris Gayle's long-standing record for the most sixes in a single season during Rajasthan Royals' Eliminator clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday. The 15-year-old opener smashed his 61st six of IPL 2026 to move past Gayle's long-standing tally of 59 from the 2012 season, capping another breathtaking display of power-hitting.

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The landmark came in typical Sooryavanshi fashion, fearless and relentless. Facing Sakib Hussain in the fourth over, the teenager first equalled Gayle's record before overtaking it within the space of three deliveries. Sakib tried the slower ball route, pitching it full outside off, but Sooryavanshi cleared extra-cover with ease. The next fuller delivery disappeared over long-off, and when the bowler went short, the RR batter swivelled and hammered a pull behind square for his 61st six of the season.

The third six of the over also brought up Sooryavanshi's half-century off just 16 balls in a high-pressure Eliminator, as Rajasthan Royals stormed to 63 for no loss in four overs.

MOST SIXES IN AN IPL SEASON

61* - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (2026)

59 - Chris Gayle (2012)

52 - Andre Russell (2019)

51 - Chris Gayle (2013)

45 - Jos Buttler (2022)

Sunrisers Hyderabad had entered the contest with a clear plan against the teenager. Pat Cummins started with attacking fields and yorker-length bowling, trying to deny Sooryavanshi room to free his arms. Deep square leg and deep midwicket were initially stationed on the boundary, before the field shifted to long-on and deep midwicket once the youngster settled in.

For much of the opening over, Cummins executed his plan well. Three deliveries on a very full length yielded just a single, but the one ball he underpitched was immediately punished. Sooryavanshi leaned into the slot delivery and lofted it sweetly over mid-off for six.

Rajasthan ended the first over at 9 for no loss, but the assault only intensified from there.

Eshan Malinga shared a similar experience from the other end. SRH surprisingly opted to hold back Praful Hinge with the new ball, handing Malinga the responsibility instead. The Sri Lankan pacer delivered five disciplined balls before missing his yorker on the final delivery of the over. The attempted full ball turned into an inswinging full toss, and Sooryavanshi pounced, hooking it over backward square leg for another six.

RR raced to 20 without loss after two overs, with SRH already being forced into defensive fields and death-over lengths far earlier than anticipated.

Cummins returned, but the teenager showed remarkable control against both pace and variation. A pair of fuller deliveries were dispatched for four and six straight down the ground, before a short ball outside off was uppercut over the infield. Another slower delivery followed, but Sooryavanshi held his shape beautifully and flat-batted it back over the bowler's head for six.

Even when Cummins adjusted his field for the yorker, placing a straighter long-on and a wider boundary rider, Sooryavanshi remained composed enough to clip the final ball of the over away for a single.

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