Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Teen batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has set his sights on one of the most iconic records in T20 history ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League season — the legendary 175-run knock by Chris Gayle.After a sensational 2025 that saw him emerge as one of Indian cricket’s brightest young stars, Sooryavanshi is preparing for another explosive campaign with Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026. The teenager had taken the tournament by storm last year by becoming the youngest centurion in IPL history, before continuing his dream run with centuries in England and Australia.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!His remarkable rise reached another high earlier this year when he smashed a stunning 175 in the final of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup to guide India to the title. Now, the prodigious batter wants to scale another big milestone.Speaking at the BCCI Naman Awards in New Delhi, Sooryavanshi made it clear which record he would most like to achieve. Asked to choose between hitting six sixes in an over, scoring the fastest IPL century, or surpassing Gayle’s famous 175, the youngster didn’t hesitate.“To break the 175-run record,” he said.Gayle’s blistering 175 for RCB against Pune Warriors India in IPL 2013 remains the highest individual score in the history of the league — and in all T20 cricket — more than a decade later.However, Sooryavanshi’s main focus remains helping Rajasthan Royals win their second IPL title.“The goal this IPL season is to win the trophy for the team. It is a very important thing. I want to do well, and my performance will help the whole team,” he said. “My goal is to contribute to RR’s wins and win the trophy for the franchise.”Sooryavanshi, who was picked up by the Royals as a 13-year-old in 2024, credited the franchise for backing his talent early.“When I made my domestic debut, RR had been keeping an eye on me during my domestic and Under-19 games. Their scouting team had been tracking me for a long time. My trial went very well and I felt I could go to RR,” he said.The youngster also acknowledged the influence of former India great Rahul Dravid and senior teammates during his early IPL days.“Rahul sir was there at that time, so I got to learn a lot from him. There were a lot of senior players in the team and it was a great learning experience,” Sooryavanshi added.
