A brief 14-ball burst from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on Tuesday evening was enough to make the cricket world lean in and pay attention. It wasn’t the first time his promise had been noticed, but it was the first time he made a statement that he can strike—quickly, decisively, and with visible control—against the very best in the game. The way he dispatched the ball left Yashasvi Jaiswal’s knock in the shade, and it also helped lay the groundwork for his side’s convincing win.
Since his IPL debut, the teenage left-hander has repeatedly grabbed headlines regardless of where his innings eventually ends. His aggressive strokeplay can unsettle opponents and even undermine reputations, yet his impact this season hasn’t always translated to him being the Royals’ standout performer. While Sooryavanshi’s explosiveness has been central to Rajasthan’s momentum, there has been an even more dramatic shift behind the scenes that has helped them sit atop the points table: their bowling unit has become far more effective than it was last year.
From last season’s struggles to a sharper bowling attack
In the previous campaign, the Royals finished second from the bottom in the table, and bowling was a major reason why. Their wicket-taking returns were among the weakest, with just 65 wickets. They also carried the poorest bowling average of 42.15 and suffered from a second-worst economy rate across the tournament.
This year, with much of the core group still in place, the picture is dramatically different. The transformation begins with the pacers and their improvement through every phase of an innings—new-ball spells, middle-overs control, and the pressure moments at the end.
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Sam Curran’s fitness concerns meant Nandre Burger was given a place in the playing XI, and Burger has repaid that faith with the kind of new-ball edge Rajasthan needed.
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With a left-arm angle, steep bounce and movement off the seam, Burger has kept batters from settling, particularly in tight channels.
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His wicket-taking has included dismissals of Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre, Jos Buttler, Suryakumar Yadav, and Naman Dhir.
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In Guwahati at least, Burger’s case has been strengthened by the support from Jofra Archer at the other end, with both bowlers operating effectively in tandem.
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Sandeep Sharma and Tushar Deshpande have also played a key role, bringing long experience and international exposure, even if they compare less favourably to some rivals in terms of global runs.
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Across various stages of matches, especially during the death overs, they have shown composure and the ability to execute under pressure.
Rajasthan’s bowling coach, Shane Bond, highlighted Deshpande’s noticeable rise and explained that preparation has been a consistent theme for both Sandeep Sharma and Deshpande. Bond noted that an ankle injury last season affected Deshpande’s pace, pointing out that he was working in the 140s this year compared to the mid-130s range previously. The improvement, Bond suggested, has helped Deshpande move into a better mental and physical place.
Bond also framed the bigger shift as one that has occurred in the middle overs. That is where the Royals have struck more regularly and narrowed the attacking options available to opponents later in the innings. A significant part of the credit goes to Ravi Bishnoi, who endured his toughest IPL season before this one. When he played for Lucknow Super Giants last year, he managed just nine wickets in 11 matches, and opponents punished him at 10.84 runs per over.
This season, Bishnoi has already taken seven wickets in three games and currently occupies the Purple Cap position. While Rajasthan’s bowling strengths differ from bowler to bowler, Bond stressed that the team’s approach is built around evaluating conditions first. He also referenced ideas discussed by captain Riyan Parag, who has frequently echoed the message: assess what the match is offering, then execute the plan accordingly.
Bond pointed to Rajasthan’s tactical variety as evidence of that approach. He cited their game against Gujarat where they bowled a lot of full and fast deliveries, and he also referenced their match versus Mumbai where different plans were applied. In Bond’s view, the most important strength so far has been the group’s ability to read the conditions accurately and then act on them.
Managing pressure: decisions, calm, and captaincy
Bond connected this improvement to the way the team handles pressure situations, a topic the group has discussed extensively for months, even reaching back to November. The focus, he said, is on how to stay calm, make the right calls, and consistently manage tense moments. In his explanation, captaincy is central: understanding the bowlers, knowing the plans, and accepting that execution won’t always be perfect.
Even so, Bond argued that consistent decision-making gives the team a real chance to win. He singled out the relationship between Parag and the bowlers, saying that the conversations happening within that bond are working effectively. For Bond, the most pleasing parts were how Rajasthan closed out the Gujarat game and how they bowled against Mumbai after posting a strong total.
Bond specifically praised the first four overs against Mumbai, stating that Rajasthan aimed to make the chase difficult right from the Powerplay and that the entire group delivered in that opening stretch.
He was particularly effusive about Parag’s management of the bowlers. Bond said the team has talked a lot about getting through overs quickly enough to allow Parag time to communicate—especially as a new captain—to understand each bowler and handle pressure moments. He also mentioned that the team works with data and information, but wants to keep the game plans straightforward.
Still, Bond is realistic about what lies ahead. As the season progresses, the bowling group will face more resistance, more batter-friendly surfaces, and totals that make 200 look far less intimidating than it does early on. He warned that pressure will come at some point, and that opponents will come out hard against Rajasthan.
In Bond’s view, the responsibility is to keep opponents to targets that a strong batting line-up can chase. He also offered a caution: winning can make things feel easy, but there is a long way to go. The key is to maintain consistency, because if they do, the Royals are likely to remain difficult to beat.
Bond also described the start of the campaign as a positive turning point. He said that beginning an IPL season—especially after a challenging previous year—always brings a degree of nervous energy. However, this season has featured strong performances not just from the fast bowling group but from the bowling unit overall, with the team playing well as a collective.
He pointed to a quiet confidence in how they are going about their work. Bond suggested that after more wins than losses, it becomes easier to relax, and even off the field it allows players to open up more. He added that the team still spends significant time discussing areas they can improve, which he believes is a healthy sign whether their record is positive—such as being 3-0—or otherwise.
