Andre Russell and Chris Gayle left stunned by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Eliminator – Gayle and Russell Stunned by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s IPL Eliminator Carnage
The Rise of the “Boss Baby”: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Eliminator Masterclass
The IPL has long been a stage where young talent announces itself to the world, but what transpired at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, during the IPL 2026 Eliminator was nothing short of historic. Fifteen-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, affectionately dubbed the “Boss Baby,” put on an exhibition of raw power and fearless hitting that left fans, pundits, and T20 legends absolutely stunned.
Facing a high-pressure knockout game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Sooryavanshi played an innings of a lifetime, blasting 97 runs from just 29 deliveries. His breathtaking knock single-handedly propelled the Rajasthan Royals (RR) into Qualifier 2, where they are set to clash with the Gujarat Titans for a spot in the grand finale.
How the Teenage Prodigy Dismantled Pat Cummins and Co.
After SRH captain Pat Cummins won the toss and made the bold decision to bowl first, he could not have anticipated the storm that was about to hit his bowling unit. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his intentions clear from the very first over, welcoming the Australian skipper into the attack with a towering six. The onslaught continued in the second over when he targeted Eshan Malinga, sending another delivery sailing over the ropes.
The defining moment of the powerplay arrived in the third over when Cummins returned to bowl. Showing absolutely no regard for the international veteran’s reputation, the young left-hander launched Cummins for three consecutive sixes. In the following over, Sakib Hussain received a similar treatment as Sooryavanshi hammered three more maximums. By the end of the six-over powerplay, the young opener was batting on a staggering 60 runs off just 20 balls, having already cleared the boundary eight times.
Chasing History: Falling Just Short of Chris Gayle’s Legendary Record
Even as the field restrictions were lifted, Sooryavanshi refused to take his foot off the accelerator. He added four more sixes to his tally, putting himself on the verge of breaking the record for the fastest-ever IPL century—a feat held by the legendary Chris Gayle, who reached the milestone in 30 balls back in 2013.
Unfortunately, the fairy-tale moment fell just short. While attempting yet another big hit off Praful Hinge, Sooryavanshi holed out for a magnificent 97 off 29 balls. Despite missing out on a historic century by just three runs, his strike rate of 334.48 left an indelible mark on the tournament.
Following his dismissal, the rest of the Rajasthan Royals batting lineup struggled to match his blistering tempo. While Dhruv Jurel kept things moving with a quickfire fifty off 20 balls, the remaining batsmen were restricted to brief cameos, ultimately guiding RR to a massive total of 243 runs.
Jofra Archer Seals a Convincing Victory for Rajasthan Royals
Chasing 244 in a high-stakes Eliminator was always going to be a monumental task for Sunrisers Hyderabad, and their hopes were quickly dashed by a lethal opening spell from Jofra Archer. The English speedster ran through SRH’s formidable top order within the powerplay, dismissing the dangerous trio of Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Ishan Kishan.
With their top order back in the dugout, SRH’s chase never truly got going. Despite valiant efforts and promising starts from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Salil Arora, the target proved far too distant. Rajasthan Royals comfortably wrapped up a 47-run victory to keep their championship dreams alive.
T20 Icons Chris Gayle and Andre Russell Pay Tribute
Sooryavanshi’s astonishing display of hitting quickly caught the attention of some of the greatest players to have ever played the shortest format of the game. West Indian legends Chris Gayle and Andre Russell took to their social media handles to praise the youngster’s phenomenal talent.
Chris Gayle shared screenshots of the broadcast on his Instagram stories, writing, “Carnage @vaibhav_sooryavanshi09, unlucky there, but you will get there eventually.” In a follow-up story highlighting the teenager’s records, the “Universe Boss” added, “Outstanding @vaibhav_sooryavanshi09, a new six machine @iplt20.”
Chris Gayle’s Instagram stories for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. 😍❤️ pic.twitter.com/O05LVrQxSp
Kolkata Knight Riders star Andre Russell also chimed in with high praise, while simultaneously addressing the noise surrounding the youngster’s age. Following allegations regarding an old interview suggesting Sooryavanshi might be slightly older than his declared age of 15, Russell offered strong words of encouragement.
“Congratulations, youngster. Haters will say that you are not 15 years old, who cares? 30-year-olds out here trying their best to do what you are doing. Keep going, I’m a big fan. See ball, hit ball,” Russell posted on his Instagram story.
Andre Russell’s Instagram story for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. pic.twitter.com/d9gtHkAoD8
A Record-Breaking IPL 2026 Campaign for the Youngster
Currently in just his second IPL season, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has firmly established himself as one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket. His exploits have earned him the coveted Orange Cap, and he is statistically putting together one of the most dominant individual seasons in T20 history.
Across 15 matches in the tournament so far, the young prodigy has amassed a whopping 680 runs at an average of 45.33 and an unbelievable strike rate of 243. His campaign includes four half-centuries, one century, and a record-breaking 65 sixes—the most ever hit by a batsman in a single IPL season. As Rajasthan Royals prepare for their next challenge in Qualifier 2, all eyes will once again be on the young sensation to see if he can carry his team all the way to the title.
