Mohammed Siraj brought a fierce edge to Gujarat Titans’ tense encounter with Rajasthan Royals on Saturday, roaring in celebration after removing 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in a high-voltage duel. The teenager once again dictated the tempo for RR during a steep chase of 230, striking decisively from the outset and forcing the GT bowlers to absorb pressure right away.
Explosive start: Siraj vs Sooryavanshi
- The contest ignited immediately as Sooryavanshi greeted Siraj with a six on the very first ball he faced.
- He kept attacking the Indian pacer, adding three more boundaries in the over that eventually ended his stay at the crease.
- On the fifth ball of the third over, Siraj responded with a short delivery that cramped Sooryavanshi, prompting an attempted pull.
- Sooryavanshi failed to connect cleanly, and the resulting edge was taken safely by Arshad Khan in the deep.
- Siraj then erupted in passion, celebrating from a distance and clearly relishing the breakthrough after a promising spell from the youngster.
Sooryavanshi made an immediate impact before his dismissal, striking 36 runs off just 16 balls. His knock featured three sixes and three fours, giving Rajasthan a platform in the chase and underscoring how aggressively he was looking to dominate the powerplay.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been ripping into bowling attacks during the early overs of the IPL season. In the current powerplay, he has amassed 359 runs from 148 deliveries, striking at 242.56 while being dismissed only six times. His attacking profile is reflected in the sheer volume of boundary-hitting—33 fours and 32 sixes in the powerplay—making him one of the most destructive starters in the competition so far.
Earlier: Gill anchors GT to 229 for 4
Before the chase, Shubman Gill set the tone for Gujarat Titans with a composed knock of 84 off 44 balls as they posted 229 for 4 against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur. Gill’s innings was built around nine fours and three sixes, mixing clean timing with a steady sense of control, even though he briefly felt discomfort in his left foot during the innings.
It was Gill’s fourth fifty of the season, arriving at a key moment as GT looked to apply scoreboard pressure. He also combined strongly with Sai Sudharsan to forge a commanding 118-run opening partnership. Sudharsan continued his impressive form with a fluent fifty off 30 balls, and together the pair took advantage of a flat surface after RR chose to bowl first, ensuring the hosts were kept under sustained strain throughout the innings.
