‘Centuries will keep happening’: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s message after missing fastest IPL hundred

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals (AP Photo) Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again left the cricketing world stunned after his breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls helped Rajasthan Royals knock out Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator. The teenage sensation smashed 12 sixes in a stunning innings that almost saw him break Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest century in IPL history. But despite the records, milestones and Player of the Match awards, Sooryavanshi insisted that he remains firmly focused on helping Rajasthan Royals win the trophy. The young opener revealed after the match that he prefers not to think about situations and instead concentrate only on the game in front of him. “(Do you celebrate the luck or is it more like ‘what’s gone is gone, now think ahead’?) When we win, we go forward with a positive intention and move on to the next game. And we’ll try to win the next game in the same way and get to the final.” Even after producing one of the biggest innings ever seen in an IPL play-off match, Sooryavanshi admitted that he keeps his mind simple before matches. “(What’s your mindset going into the next game?) I think a little bit, but not too much. I just try to play the game I’m in and not think. But if I feel like there’s something I need to work on, then I look at it.” The RR opener also opened up about the amount of preparation that goes into his fearless batting. Despite being only 15, Sooryavanshi explained that he carefully studies the opposition bowlers, pitches and boundary dimensions before going into bat. “(Tell us about your pre-game preparation.) I’m just thinking about who the bowlers are on the opposing team, how I can face them on this wicket, how big the boundaries are, just things like that. I try to stay positive in my intent. When I do that, the bowlers stay under pressure. So I try to continue to do that and dominate the game.” This positive intent completely overwhelmed the SRH bowling attack in Mullanpur. On the actual batting surface, Sooryavanshi toyed with the likes of Pat Cummins and repeatedly hit the ball into the stands as the Australian captain and his leadership group desperately searched for answers. Everything bowled at full was smashed straight back over the bowler’s head, while the short deliveries disappeared over third man and fine leg with amazing ease. The teenager eventually fell for 97 after being caught at third man off Praful Hinge, narrowly missing out on what could have been the fastest century in IPL history. However, Sooryavanshi revealed after the match that he was not even aware of the record during his innings. “(He was dismissed on the ball, did he know about the record?) I only found out when I got out. At that time, I was just focused on contributing as much as possible because the centuries will keep happening, but now we are focused on how to win the trophy.” The youngster also explained that he prefers to focus on his own plans rather than worry about what the opposition might try against him. “If I feel I’m in trouble somewhere, I work on it. I don’t think about what the opposition is planning, that’s their plan. I focus on what my plan is and try to play normal cricket.” Even without a century, Sooryavanshi’s innings rewrote IPL history. He broke Gayle’s 14-year-old record of sixes in one IPL season and now has a staggering 65 maximums in IPL 2026. At just 15 years old, Sooryavanshi continues to produce innings that are near impossible, yet the teenager himself remains remarkably calm, grounded and completely focused on winning matches for Rajasthan Royals.