Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Image credit: IPL) NEW DELHI: It was another record-breaking night for teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who continues to redefine T20 batting at just 15 years old. The Rajasthan Royals prodigy became the fastest player in history to reach 400 runs in a single Indian Premier League season and achieved the milestone in just 167 balls during their encounter with Punjab Kings.With this, Sooryavanshi surpassed Andre Russell’s previous record of 188 balls in 2019. The youngster improved that mark with a staggering 21 deliveries, underlining the extraordinary pace he has achieved in IPL 2026.
Sooryavanshi is rewriting the record books
Sooryavanshi’s latest milestone came during a blistering 16-ball 43 that set the tone for Rajasthan Royals’ successful chase of 223. The left-hander stepped in with intent, launched an immediate attack, hit boundaries at will and picked up both pace and bounce with remarkable ease.He started aggressively, dismantling Arshdeep Singh before unleashing audacious strikes against Lockie Ferguson, including towering sixes that electrified the contest.Although his stay was short, the impact was huge. By the time he left and caught Arshdeep, the foundations of the chase were firmly laid.
Fastest to 400 runs in an IPL season
- 167 balls – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in 2026*
- 188 balls – Andre Russell in 2019
- 195 balls – Abhishek Sharma in 2024
- 197 balls – Nicholas Pooran in 2025
- 200 balls – Glenn Maxwell in 2014
Rajasthan Royals completed the record chase
Sooryavanshi’s opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal carried the momentum with a fluent 51, while Donovan Ferreira anchored the finish with an unbeaten 52. The duo, along with Shubham Dubey’s late success, powered Rajasthan home with four balls to spare and handed Punjab their first defeat of the season.“I really enjoyed batting with him… he is playing amazingly,” Jaiswal said, praising the youngster’s fearless approach.Earlier, Marcus Stoinis smashed a 22-ball 62 to propel Punjab to 222/4, but the effort proved insufficient against Rajasthan’s relentless batting.Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer admitted the challenge of maintaining such aggressive batting. “When players come in and go to bat from ball one, it becomes a tough task for the bowler,” he said.But for Sooryavanshi, it’s just another chapter in a season of dreams. After grabbing the headlines with a record-breaking century earlier, the 15-year-old now sits atop the run charts and continues a rise that shows no signs of slowing down.
