Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has set his sights on one of the most iconic records in T20 history – Chris Gayle’s legendary knock of 175 ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League season.After a sensational 2025 in which he emerged as one of the brightest young stars in Indian cricket, Sooryavanshi is gearing up for another explosive campaign with Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026. The teenager took the tournament by storm last year by becoming the youngest centurion in IPL history before continuing his dream run with centuries in England and Australia.
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Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!His remarkable rise reached another high earlier this year when he smashed a stupendous 175 to lead India to the title in the final of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. Now the prodigy batsman wants to achieve another big milestone.At the BCCI Naman Awards in New Delhi, Sooryavanshi made it clear which record he would most like to achieve. When asked to choose between hitting six sixes in an over, scoring the fastest IPL century or surpassing Gayle’s famous 175, the youngster did not hesitate.“To break the record of 175 runs,” he said.Gayle’s blistering 175 for RCB against Pune Warriors India in IPL 2013 remains the highest individual score in the history of the league – and in all of T20 cricket – more than a decade later.However, Sooryavanshi’s main goal remains to help Rajasthan Royals win their second IPL title.“The aim of this IPL season is to win the trophy for the team. It is a very important thing. I want to do well and my performance will help the whole team,” he said. “My aim is to contribute to RR’s wins and win a trophy for the franchise.Picked up by the Royals as a 13-year-old in 2024, Sooryavanshi credited the franchise for nurturing his talent early on.“When I made my domestic debut, RR kept an eye on me during my domestic and under-19 matches. Their scout team watched me for a long time. My trial went very well and I felt I could go to RR,” he said.The youngster also acknowledged the influence of former India great Rahul Dravid and senior teammates during his early IPL days.“Rahul sir was there at that time so I got to learn a lot from him. There were a lot of senior players in the team and it was a great learning experience,” added Sooryavanshi.
