Chris Gayle reacts as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi breaks his record [Source: AFP, EPA]Young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took the cricket world by storm in the IPL 2026 eliminator clash between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Opening the batting for the Royals, Sooryavanshi hammered a belligerent 29-ball 97, thereby breaking Chris Gayle's massive six-hitting feat in the IPL. Sooryavanshi's breathtaking knock powered RR to 243 runs in 20 overs, setting the perfect foundation for a convincing 47-run victory in the knockout fixture. Most sixes in a single IPL season: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi went past Chris GayleIPL and West Indies legend Chris Gayle is arguably the greatest ever T20 batter of all time. The talismanic southpaw scripted history when he smashed 59 sixes in the 2012 IPL season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. While Gayle held the record for 14 years, 15-year-old wonder kid Vaibhav Sooryavanshi surpassed him in his second IPL season for Rajasthan Royals. The explosive batter smashed twelve towering sixes in the eliminator clash against SRH, thus registering the most number of sixes in an IPL edition. Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Leaves Behind MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli In Popularity RaceVaibhav Sooryavanshi has already hit 65 maximums and might add a few more to his tally, given that Rajasthan Royals are still alive in the IPL 2026 title race. Meanwhile, Chris Gayle didn't take too long to respond to the batting mayhem that saw his prolific record being tumbled in the IPL 2026 season. Chris Gayle reacts to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's blitzkreigAfter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi broke his record for the most sixes in an IPL season, Chris Gayle lauded the Indian batting prodigy. Fondly called 'the Universe Boss', Gayle admitted to being awestruck by Sooryavanshi's effortless six-hitting in the competition. The West Indies great even gave Sooryavanshi the title of 'new six machine', thus passing the baton to the 15-year-old talent from Bihar. Chris Gayle @henrygayle What a phenomenal player Vaibhav is. Great entertainment young man! New Six machine @IPL May 27, 2026, 11:27 PM "What a phenomenal player Vaibhav is. Great entertainment young man! New Six machine," Chris Gayle posted on X after Sooryavanshi broke his record for the most sixes in an IPL edition. Andre Russell declares himself Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's fanOn the other hand, West Indies finisher Andre Russell reckoned that although critics could question Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's real age, it doesn't matter as long as the young lad continues performing at the biggest stage. Andre Russell's Instagram post for SooryavanshiThe KKR legend also acknowledged Sooryavanshi's 'see the ball hit the ball' gameplay, admitting he is one of his biggest admirers. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi earns accolades despite missing Gayle's most prolific recordSooryavanshi was dismissed for 97 runs off just 29 deliveries in the RR Vs SRH Eliminator encounter. The left-handed batter had struck 97 off 28 balls, and had he brought up his century in the 29th delivery, he would've broken Chris Gayle's record for the fastest IPL hundred. However, despite missing the phenomenal feat by the barest of margins, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made the likes of Gayle and Andre Russell stand and applaud his batting prowess. This is nothing short of an extraordinary achievement for the 15-year-old, who has made the world pause and take notice of his incredible potential at such a young age. The Rajasthan Royals mainstay has hammered 680 runs this season and is one of the front-runners to claim the prestigious Orange Cap in IPL 2026. Also Read: County Ground, Chelmsford Pitch Report, Weather Report For ENG-W Vs IND-W- 1st T20I, 2026
