Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a jaw-dropping 97 off 29 balls — laced with 12 sixes and 5 fours at a strike rate of 334.48 — to power Rajasthan Royals to a 47-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator at New Chandigarh on Wednesday, 28 May. After the match, RR wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel offered a rare glimpse into what drives the 15-year-old prodigy: a complete indifference to the reputation of the bowler at the other end.

Jurel on Sooryavanshi's Mindset

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Jurel described Sooryavanshi's approach as uniquely instinct-driven. 'The best thing about Vaibhav that I have noticed is that he doesn't plan anything. Because he practises a lot and he always backs himself. That's what he does every time he goes out and plays. The best thing about him is that he backs himself. He doesn't even have a shadow of doubt that he is not able to do it,' Jurel said.

He elaborated further: 'When we go to an academy, we're told, Don't watch the bowler, watch the ball. As 17-year-olds, we always watch the bowler and think he's a big name. But really, he just watches the ball. That's all. His mantra is I don't want to give a damn about any bowler.'

A Record-Breaking Assault on SRH

Sooryavanshi needed just three deliveries to clear the ropes for the first time, taking on SRH skipper Pat Cummins in the opening over and never relenting. He dispatched Cummins, Eshan Malinga, and Sakib Hussain for sixes with remarkable ease, sending the ball to all corners of the ground.

His seventh maximum in the fourth over took him past Chris Gayle's record of 59 sixes — the most by any batter in a single IPL season. His eighth six helped him race to a 16-ball fifty, the joint-fastest half-century in IPL playoff history. He hammered five more sixes after reaching fifty and was threatening Gayle's record for the fastest IPL century — achieved off just 30 balls.

How the Innings Ended

The breathtaking knock came to a dramatic close when Sooryavanshi attempted an upper cut off a delivery from Hinge, mistiming it towards deep third where he was safely caught. The innings ended at 97, leaving the crowd and the record books wanting more.

Archer's Early Strikes Seal the Win

While Sooryavanshi's bat did the headline damage, Jofra Archer provided crucial early breakthroughs with the ball to keep SRH under pressure throughout their chase. The combined effort sealed RR's place in the next round of IPL 2026, underlining that this Royals side is built on match-winners capable of changing a game in a single over.

With Sooryavanshi now holding the single-season sixes record and Jurel vouching for his mental clarity, Rajasthan Royals head into their next fixture with one of the most feared young batters in world cricket leading the charge.