Rajasthan Royals Vaibhav Suryavanshi (AP Photo)
Once again, fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi left the cricket world stunned after his stunning scoring 97 off just 29 balls helped Rajasthan Royals dismiss Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator. The teenager smashed 12 runs during a stunning innings that almost broke Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest century in the history of the Indian Premier League. But despite the records, achievements and man-of-the-match award, Suryavanshi insisted that his focus remains firmly on helping Rajasthan Royals win the title. Speaking after the match, the young player revealed that he prefers not to overthink situations and instead just focus on playing the match in front of him. “(Do you celebrate happiness or is it more like ‘what’s gone is gone, now think about the future’?) When we win, we just go forward with positive intentions and move on to the next match. We try to win the next match the same way and get to the finals.” Even after producing one of the greatest innings ever in an IPL playoff, Sooryavanshi admitted that he keeps his mind simple before matches. “(What’s your mindset for the next game?) I think a little bit, but not a lot.
I just try to play the game I’m playing and don’t think too much. But if I feel like there’s something I need to work on, I look at it. RR’s opener also opened up about the amount of preparation that goes into a gritty batting style. Despite being just 15 years old, Suryavanshi explained that he carefully studies the opposition bowlers, pitch dimensions and boundaries before going out to bat. “(Tell us about your preparations before the match.) I’m just thinking about who the opposition team’s bowlers are, how can I face them on this wicket, how big are the boundaries, just those kinds of things.
I just try to stay positive with my intention. When I do that, the bowlers stay under pressure. So I’m trying to keep it going and control the game.” This positive intent completely overshadowed SRH’s bowling attack in Mullanpur. On the real pitch, Suryavanshi toyed with the likes of Pat Cummins and repeatedly bowled the ball into the stands as the Australia captain and his leadership team desperately searched for answers. Anything fully stocked directly over the fielder’s head was smashed, while short deliveries at third leg and fine leg disappeared with astonishing ease. The teenager eventually fell on 97 after being caught by third man off Praful Hinge, missing out on what would have been the quickest century in IPL history. However, Suryavanshi revealed after the match that he was not aware of the score during his innings. “(Regarding the ball that was kicked, was he aware of the record?) I only found out after I came out. At that time, my only focus was to contribute as much as I could because the centuries would go on, but now the focus is on how to win the title.” The young man also explained that he would rather focus on his own plans rather than worry about what the opposition might try to do against him. “If I feel like I’m having a problem somewhere, I work on it. I don’t think about what the opposition is planning, that’s their plan.
I’m focusing on my plan, just trying 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 deliver innings that seem almost impossible, yet the teenager himself remains remarkably calm, collected and entirely focused on winning matches for Rajasthan Royals.