Key Points
- Suryavanshi entered the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad with 53 sixes and needed seven more to surpass Chris Gayle’s iconic tally of 59 from the 2012 season. By the end of the night, he had blasted his way to 65 sixes for the season.
- He fell agonisingly short of hitting the fastest century in IPL history, dismissed three runs shy of his ton against Praful Hinge.
- His strike rate of 334.48 is the highest ever recorded by any batter in an IPL innings of 90 or more runs.
- Suryavanshi is now the first batter ever to score 600-plus runs in a T20 tournament while maintaining a strike rate of 200 or above.
Suryavanshi scripted history during RR’s IPL 2026 Eliminator clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Mullanpur. Opening the batting, the teenager hammered 12 sixes and five boundaries at a strike rate of 334.48, as Rajasthan Royals stormed to 96 runs inside just seven overs.
Suryavanshi’s knock formed the foundation for an opening partnership of 125 runs in eight overs alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, with Rajasthan Royals finishing on 243 for 8 in their 20 overs.
Pat Cummins and SRH’s bowling line-up fought back, but only after suffering heavily at the teenager’s hands.
Shattering Gayle’s 14-Year Record
Gayle had taken 456 balls to set his record of 59 sixes across the 2012 IPL season. Suryavanshi needed just 266 balls to go past it, finishing with 65.
Beyond the sixes record, Suryavanshi also set a new mark for the most runs in the powerplay overs in a single IPL season, crossing David Warner’s tally of 467 runs from 2016 to finish with 490 powerplay runs for the campaign.
Just One Ball Away from History
The fastest IPL century on record, held by Chris Gayle since 2013, stood at 30 balls. Suryavanshi had his fifty off just 16 balls and appeared well on course to threaten that milestone, only for Praful Hinge to dismiss him for 97, three runs and effectively one delivery short of what would have been a landmark for the ages.
The heartbreak was visible as Suryavanshi walked off, but the entire Mullanpur crowd rose to applaud him, and the Rajasthan Royals dugout stood as one.
Sachin Tendulkar’s Praise
Sachin Tendulkar was among those quick to heap praise on the teenager, noting that Suryavanshi’s bat swing has been outstanding and that his ability to clear his front foot to create room for balls aimed at his legs gives him the freedom to play the way he does, calling the innings “spectacular” and saying that word “may honestly be an understatement.”
IPL 2026 Season at a Glance
Across 15 matches and 15 innings in IPL 2026, Suryavanshi scored 680 runs at an average of 41.64 and a strike rate of 242.86, with a season-best of 103. He struck 55 fours and 65 sixes across the campaign.
| Stat | IPL 2026 | IPL Career |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 15 | 22 |
| Runs | 680 | 932 |
| Average | 41.64 | 39.76 |
| Strike Rate | 242.86 | 231.84 |
| Best Score | 103 | 103 |
| Sixes | 65 | , |
Top Innings of IPL 2026
Among his standout performances in the 2026 season were a brutal 103 off 37 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the league phase, a breathtaking 93 off 38 balls against Lucknow Super Giants, and the climactic 97 off 29 balls in the Eliminator.
He opened the season in equally electric fashion, smashing 52 off just 17 balls against Chennai Super Kings in Match 1, including 4 fours and 5 sixes, setting the tone for a dominant campaign from ball one.
A Career Already Packed with Records
Suryavanshi made his IPL debut on April 19, 2025, against the Lucknow Super Giants, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in the IPL at 14 years and 23 days. He hit a six off the very first ball he faced.
Later that same season, he became the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket, cracking 101 off 38 balls against the Gujarat Titans. His hundred came off just 35 deliveries, the second-fastest in IPL history. He finished IPL 2025 with 252 runs in seven games at a strike rate of 206.55.
In IPL 2026, he recorded 4 instances of hitting 10 or more sixes in a single IPL innings, a feat matched only by Chris Gayle, and completed his fifty in the powerplay on 5 occasions, second only to David Warner’s six.
