Chris Gayle, beware: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi first Indian to hit 50 sixes in an IPL season

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his impressive run of form after becoming the first Indian to hit 50 sixes in an Indian Premier League season. The 15-year-old hit the milestone during the IPL 2026 clash between Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday, May 19 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

IPL 2026, RR vs LSG: Highlights | Scorecard

On Tuesday, Sooryavanshi produced a stunning knock of 93 off 38 balls, smashing seven fours and 10 sixes in a dominant display of power hitting. The left-hander became only the third batsman in IPL history, after Chris Gayle (2012, 2013) and Andre Russell (2019), to hit 50 or more sixes in a single IPL season. With his last innings against Super Giants, Sooryavanshi now has 53 sixes from 13 matches in the ongoing edition.

Gayle still holds the record for most sixes in an IPL season with 59 in 2012. Even if the Royals fail to qualify for the play-offs, Sooryavanshi still has at least one game left to close the gap as he remains just six sixes behind the West Indian great’s long-standing record.

Most sixes in an IPL edition

Chris Gayle (2012) – 59 sixes
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (2026) – 53 sixes
Andre Russell (2019) – 52 sixes
Chris Gayle (2013) – 51 sixes
Jos Buttler (2022) – 45 sixes
Chris Gayle (2011) – 44 sixes

HOW SOORYAVANSHI TORN UP Happiness

Sooryavanshi had a mixed start before launching a brutal counter-attack that completely dismantled the Super Giants bowling attack in a high-scoring chase. He started cautiously, scoring just five runs from the first 10 balls, showing composure while allowing Yashasvi Jaiswal to attack from the other end.

Once settled, Sooryavanshi shifted gears in spectacular fashion, taking over both pace and spin with fearless intent. He punished anything short or wide and repeatedly cleared the ropes with clean, powerful strikes. His timing and ability to read lengths soon allowed him to dominate the middle overs, where he bowled with a flurry of boundaries and sixes and raced to a 38-ball fifty.

With his aggressive but controlled move play, he maintained momentum and kept the chase firmly on track, perfectly balancing risk and responsibility. His knock finally ended when he mistimed a slower delivery from Mohsin Khan and was caught at long-on, just short of a century. Despite the dismissal, his innings had already put the chase firmly in check as Royals successfully chased down 221 with five balls remaining.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

19 May 2026 23:25 IST