Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Hit 12 Sixes Against SRH, There Was One Thing In Common
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hit twelve sixes in a T20 match against SRH, maintaining a season strike rate over 242 and nearly setting the IPL fastest century record.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hit twelve sixes in a T20 match against SRH, most of which were effortless. His strike rate this season is over 242, and he came incredibly close to scoring the fastest century in IPL history. By smashing 65 sixes in a single season, Vaibhav has also broken Chris Gayle's long-standing record of 59 sixes. When Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hit his first six against SRH yesterday, it was completely effortless. The ball just kissed the bat and went straight down the ground. It was a full-length delivery that came nicely onto the bat, so you could perhaps call it the bowler's mistake. A mistake because when Vaibhav is in front of you, why serve the ball to him on a platter?
But how do you explain the second six? Even after the ball pitched and bounced quite sharply, it met the exact same fate: a hook shot, and the ball sailed over the boundary. In most of the remaining 10 sixes that followed, one thing was common: effortless.
The third six was a straight drive again. This time it was even smoother, looking less like someone hitting a cricket ball and more like someone caressing it, gently telling it to go straight, and the ball obediently followed the young boy's command like an obedient child. When you watch it in slow motion, you realise the ball hit the absolute middle of the bat. So, it isn't just a matter of power; his technique is flawless.
Another example of this came with the very next six-inch upper-cut that went straight over the fence. If you look at his fifth six, which was another straight drive, the exact moment the ball touches the bat makes you doubt it will clear the boundary. You might fear it will get comfortably caught, but then it sails right over the ropes.
If there is any room left for debate, the next six was even smoother. A six over covers... and once again, the same theme: no forced power, just a gentle conversation with the ball. It seems as though he is close friends not just with his bat, but with the ball too. However, where power is required, he applies power as well. Just look at the eighth six Vaibhav hit yesterday. The fielder is left clueless, and the bowler can only stand there completely demoralized. What can anyone even do against such batting?
When the T20 format first began, it ushered in a new era of batting. There was a time when batters played freely only in the first 6 overs. But now, the entire match is played in a single hitting mode. It feels like Vaibhav's batting has launched yet another brand-new era. In his spectacular performance yesterday, his strike rate was over 334. And this is no one-match fluke; his strike rate this season is hovering above 242. By smashing 65 sixes in a single season, he has shattered Chris Gayle's record of 59 sixes. Besides, hitting Pat Cummins for three consecutive sixes is certainly no fluke.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the complete package. Watching him bat is an absolute treat. And Vaibhav is doing all this at just 15 years of age. What do children even do at this age? In that regard, Vaibhav has set entirely new benchmarks for kids his age.
What lies ahead?
The question now is, where does he go from here? Until now, cricket pundits maintained that it is too early to compare him with the legends of the game. However, yesterday Tom Moody compared Vaibhav to Don Bradman. Anil Kumble compared him to the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar. Yesterday, Vaibhav narrowly missed out on setting the record for the fastest century in the IPL. Even Chris Gayle, who holds the record with a 30-ball century, expressed hope that Vaibhav could break his record any day.
When a career gets off to such an explosive start, elders always caution to stay grounded, otherwise one might lose their way. In this regard too, Vaibhav appears incredibly humble. So far, he has not done or said anything that suggests success is getting to his head. Yesterday on the field, the moment he spotted Sunil Gavaskar, he ran over to touch his feet. Sanjay Bangar was standing nearby, and he touched his feet as well. To top it off, Vaibhav even tried to touch the feet of cricket commentator Jatin Sapru who was standing right there.
There is naivety and innocence, but his feet are firmly on the ground for now. And as long as they stay there, the expectation is that he will keep shining on the pitch. Those who know Vaibhav closely say that alongside his massive success, he is becoming even more humble. Whether these are values instilled from Bihar, or whether the tragic stories of many rising stars fading away in the cricketing world have taught him these lessons, remains to be seen. But looking at him now, it truly feels like a new sun has risen in the cricketing sky, and its light i
Rajasthan Royals