Mullanpur: Rajasthan Royals’ young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again came heartbreakingly close to an IPL century, falling for 96 runs in the Qualifier 2 clash against Gujarat Titans on Friday. Even though the hundred slipped away, the left hander produced another innings that underlined his extraordinary impact in IPL 2026.
Sooryavanshi scored 96 off 47 balls, hitting eight fours and seven sixes at a strike rate of 204.2. He was dismissed while attempting a shot towards the third man region, where Prasidh Krishna completed a fine catch. It was a familiar disappointment for the youngster, who had also missed a century in the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad after being dismissed for 97.
This was the third time in his last four innings that Sooryavanshi missed a hundred in the nervous nineties. Earlier, he had made 93 against Lucknow Super Giants before his 97 against Hyderabad and now 96 against Gujarat. The repeated near misses may hurt, but they have also highlighted his rare consistency and fearless approach in pressure games.
Rajasthan had come under early pressure after losing wickets at the top. Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed cheaply, and the innings needed stability. Sooryavanshi then adjusted his natural attacking game, built a crucial partnership with Ravindra Jadeja and slowly shifted gears before launching into his trademark stroke play.
During the knock, Sooryavanshi also crossed 700 runs in IPL 2026, becoming the first uncapped player in IPL history to achieve the milestone in a single season. He has scored 776 runs in 16 innings at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 237.31. His season tally includes 63 fours and 72 sixes, numbers that reflect both dominance and consistency.
The young batter also completed 1000 IPL runs and became the fastest player to reach the landmark in terms of balls faced, getting there in just 440 deliveries. That record adds another major chapter to what has already become one of the most talked about individual seasons in the tournament.
Rajasthan Royals eventually posted a strong total of 214 for 6, setting Gujarat Titans a target of 215 in the race for a place in the IPL 2026 final. For Sooryavanshi, the missed century will remain a personal disappointment, but his innings once again proved why he is being seen as one of Indian cricket’s most exciting young names.