Vaibhav Sooryavanshi outshines Virat Kohli, Abhishek Sharma in IPL after taking Mitchell Starc, Lungi Ngidi to cleaners
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, for the third time in IPL 2026, started off his innings with a first-ball six against Delhi Capitals pacer Lungi Ngidi. The Rajasthan Royals opener missed his half-century by just four runs after being dismissed for 46 off 21 deliveries.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi outshined the likes of Virat Kohli and Abhishek Sharam for most number of sixes hit in a single Indian Premier League (IPL) season among the Indians, in a match against Delhi Capitals on Sunday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Coming into the game on the back of 40 maximums in IPL 2026, the 15-year-old started his innings with a six off Lungi Ngidi.
In the process, Sooryavanshi became the fourth batter after Shahrukh Khan (Punjab Kings), Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) and Devdutt Padikkal (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) to open account with a six thrice in an IPL season. Sooryavanshi added two more - one each off Australian Mitchell Starc and Tripurana Vijay - to reach the tally of 43 in IPL 2026.
Before Sooryavanshi, Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek held the record with 42 sixes in the 2024 edition of IPL. Also in the list of Virat Kohli, who had smashed 38 sixes in a season twice - in 2016 and 2024. Mumbai Indians' Suryakumar Yadav also had hit 38 maximums in 2025.
Indians with most sixes in an IPL season
| Player | No. of Sixes | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals) | 43 | 2026 |
| Abhishek Sharma (Sunrisers Hyderabad) | 42 | 2024 |
| Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings) | 39 | 2025 |
| Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) | 38 | 2016 |
| Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) | 38 | 2024 |
| Suryakumar Yadav (Mumbai Indians) | 38 | 2025 |
However, Sooryavanshi's joy was shortlived as the southpaw fell prey to Delhi Capitals young pacer Madhav Tiwari. The left-hander went early in his short as the ball hit the toe end of his bat to find a diving David Miller at long-on. Disappointed with the dismissal, Sooryavanshi dragged himself out of the ground after a 21-ball 46, studded with five fours and three sixes.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi jumps in Orange Cap table
No doubt, Sooryavanshi has been in tremendous form in IPL 2026. His knock of 46 also lifted him in the IPL 2026 Orange Cap table, as the teenager now finds himself in the fifth spot with 486 runs, five runs clear of Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma.
The list is headed by Gujarat Titans opening duo of Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill who occupy the first and second spots with 554 and 552 runs respectively. Virat Kohli also breached the 500-run mark earlier on the day against Punjab Kings to be placed third.
Mitchell Starc halts Rajasthan Royals run flow
Despite Sooryavanshi's dismissal, captain Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel steered the side with 72-run stand off just 41 balls for the third wicket. However, it was Starc whose three wickets in an over turned the table for Delhi Capitals. The left-arm pacer dismissed Parag, Donovan Ferreira and debutant Ravi Singh in the 15th over.
In no time, Rajasthan Royals slipped from 161/2 to 173/6. Starc added his fourth of the night in the form of Dasun Shanaka. In what looked like the score would go past 200-run mark, Delhi Capitals restricted Rajasthan Royals to 193/8 in 20 overs. The hosts need a win to stay in contention.
Jurel top scored for Rajasthan Royals with a knock of 53 runs off 40 balls. Besides Starc, Madhav Tiwari and Lungi Ngidi took two wickets apiece.
Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.
About the Author
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
Stay updated with all the latest news and insights on Cricket, Football, and Tennis at Livemint Sports. Catch the live action of theT20 World Cup 2026 with the complete T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule, and the T20 World Cup 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts for Most Runs in T20 World Cup 2026 and Most Wickets in T20 World Cup 2026.
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.