Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was the headline act as Rajasthan Royals prepared to face Lucknow Super Giants, arriving in form and confidence. However, the teenage batter was dealt a rare rough outing, unable to convert his usual rhythm into a meaningful score.
Sooryavanshi struck just 8 runs from 11 deliveries, falling short of the impact that has defined his tournament so far. His struggles came during a worrying spell for the Royals, whose top order—typically central to their run-making—was broken apart within the powerplay.
Quick facts
- Sooryavanshi scored 8 off 11 balls against Lucknow.
- Rajasthan suffered an early powerplay collapse.
- Mohammed Shami removed Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel in consecutive deliveries (3rd over).
- Mohsin Khan bowled Sooryavanshi on the final ball of the 4th over; Digvesh Singh Rathi took a running catch.
- With the top three dismissed early, Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer were left to steady the innings.
- Earlier, Rishabh Pant won the toss and chose to field in Match 32 of IPL 2026 at Ekana Stadium, Lucknow.
- Lucknow made two changes: Digvesh Rathi and Mayank Yadav came in; M Siddharth and Avesh Khan were the ones to make way.
- Lucknow entered on a three-match losing streak and had no home win yet; Rajasthan arrived after consecutive defeats and were seeking a first away victory.
It all began in the third over when Mohammed Shami struck twice back-to-back, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel and leaving Rajasthan in trouble from the outset. Just when the innings needed steadiness, Sooryavanshi fell soon after, adding to the Royals’ early damage.
His dismissal came on the last ball of the fourth over. Mohsin Khan delivered a length ball outside off stump, and trying to hit it big, Sooryavanshi lost his shape. The result was a mistimed effort that came off the toe and looped towards cover.
Digvesh Singh Rathi then completed the chance in style. He tracked back quickly as the ball hung in the air, before taking it cleanly, ensuring Rajasthan paid fully for the early momentum shift.
Middle-order pressure mounts
With the top three sent back early, the burden naturally moved to captain Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer. Both batters have struggled to find consistent form this season, and in this match they were tasked with doing significant damage control for the Royals.
The build-up to the contest carried its own tension. Earlier at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, Rishabh Pant won the toss and chose to field first in Match 32 of IPL 2026.
Lucknow responded with two changes to their XI, bringing in Digvesh Rathi and Mayank Yadav. M Siddharth and Avesh Khan were the players to make way as the hosts looked to arrest their recent slide.
Both sides also arrived under pressure. Lucknow were on a three-game losing streak and still had not managed a home win this season, while Rajasthan came after back-to-back defeats and remained in search of their first away victory.
In a night when expectations around Sooryavanshi were high, it turned into a rare off day. For Rajasthan, the early collapse means the middle order now faces a demanding job—one that will require sharper execution and steadier partnerships to recover.
