After a sensational debut IPL season, 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is set for his second stint with Rajasthan Royals. The young batting prodigy has revealed his ambitious goal for IPL 2026: to break Chris Gayle's iconic record of 175 and win the trophy for his franchise.
Indian batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will return to action in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Rajasthan Royals. The 14-year-old will play for the Royals for the second season in a row after having made his IPL debut in the previous edition of the tournament.
Sooryavanshi had a sensational IPL debut season as his attacking style of batting and fearless strokeplay had the cricketing world talking. The young Bihar batter stormed into the limelight with his phenomenal 101-run knock against the Gujarat Titans, recording the youngest ever to score a T20 century and the second-fastest to score a triple figure in the history of IPL.
Though Rajasthan Royals got knocked out of the tournament after failing to qualify for the playoffs, Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s stellar performances, record-breaking century, and fearless approach firmly established him as one of the brightest young talents not only in the IPL but also in world cricket.
Related Articles
Sooryavanshi’s Aim in IPL 2026
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was in the spotlight at the BCCI Naman Awards and shared the stage with Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, and Abhishek Sharma. During the discussion, Suryavanshi was asked about the desire he would like to achieve in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.
In a video posted by Star Sports on its X handle formerly Twitter) Renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle, who was the host of the awards ceremony, asked about his desires in the IPL 2026 with three options: six sixes in an over, breaking Chris Gayle’s IPL record of 175, or fastest IPL century.
Among three options, the young batter chose to aim at breaking Chris Gayle’s highest individual score of 175 in the IPL,
Chris Gayle achieved the highest individual score in IPL history when he hammered an unbeaten 175 off just 66 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in the 2013 IPL. In that match, the West Indies swashbuckler also recorded the fastest IPL century, reaching 100 in just 30 balls while smashing 17 sixes and 13 fours.
These two records by Chris Gayle have remained untouched for the past 13 years, cementing his legendary status in IPL history.
‘Win the Trophy for Rajasthan Royals’
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is expected to be one of the key players for the Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming season of the IPL. Speaking on the sidelines of the BCCI Naman Awards, the 14-year-old stated that he aims to win the title for the Royals in the IPL 2026.
“The goal this IPL season is to win the trophy for the team, as it is a very important thing. I want to do well, and my performance will help the whole team,” Sooryavanshi said.
“This is my goal — to contribute to RR’s wins and win the trophy for the franchise,” he added.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was acquired by the Rajasthan Royals for INR 1.1 Crore at the mega IPL 2025 Auction, making him one of the youngest and most expensive teenage talents in IPL history. Before the youngster’s acquisition, RR scouted him extensively and was impressed by his talent at an early age.
Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi was a part of the Indian team that clinched the U-19 World Cup. In the final against England, the youngster shattered several records with his blistering knock of 175 off 80 balls, including 15 sixes and as many fours, at an impressive strike rate of 218.75.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was the highest run-getter for Team India with 439 runs, including a century and 3 fifties, at an average of 62.71 and a strike rate of 169.49 in seven matches.
Also Read: Vaibhav Suryavanshi: The 14-year-old kid making even Virat Kohli tremble!
