‘I know I can hit boundaries anytime’: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dazzles with 38-ball 93 in RR’s epic chase

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his record-breaking Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign with a sensational 93 off just 38 balls against Lucknow Super Giants in Rajasthan Royals’ thrilling chase of 221 in Jaipur on Tuesday night, achieving yet another milestone in a breakthrough season.

The teenage sensation became the youngest player ever to score 500 runs in an IPL season, surpassing the previous record held by Rishabh Pant, who had achieved the feat at the age of 20 for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2018.

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Sooryavanshi’s explosive innings, packed with 10 sixes and seven fours, laid the foundation for Rajasthan’s seven-wicket victory at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, with Dhruv Jurel remaining unbeaten on 53 to complete one of the most memorable chases of the season.

After the match, the youngster credited conversations with senior cricketers, former players and coaches for helping him play with greater confidence during his debut IPL season.

“It feels good. It’s a moment of pride. And yes, it feels good when so many seniors, cricketers, ex-cricketers, and our coaches talk to me. It gives me confidence, and it helps me in the game,” Sooryavanshi said in a video shared by IPL on X.

Despite his aggressive reputation, the opener revealed that his approach during the steep chase was actually to stay patient early on before shifting gears once he got set.

“I was thinking that today I shouldn’t rush too much at the start because the wicket looked really good. If I batted for a longer period, it was going to help the batter at the other end as well,” he said.

“That was the mindset. I know I can hit two or three boundaries or sixes anytime, so I can take some time and try to take the game deep,” he added.

The teenager also said Rajasthan’s focus during the pressure chase was to remain relaxed and trust their natural attacking game instead of overthinking qualification scenarios.

“We wanted to enjoy and not put pressure on ourselves. The focus was to play good cricket and back our strengths,” he said.

“We don’t have too much focus on qualification calculations. If there’s a chance, it’s obviously in everyone’s mind, but we’re trying to improve day by day.”

Earlier, Mitchell Marsh smashed 96 while Josh Inglis made 60 to power Lucknow to 220/5, but Rajasthan’s fearless batting display ensured the hosts chased down the massive target with five balls to spare.

Stand-in RR captain Yashasvi Jaiswal praised the impact made by Sooryavanshi and Jurel, saying their partnership had effectively “killed the game” for Rajasthan Royals.