Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is emerging as the kind of young IPL batter who changes how bowlers plan their spells—and how they react when they finally strike. The Rajasthan Royals opener has been causing plenty of trouble for opposition attacks, and the same storyline unfolded when the Royals met the Gujarat Titans on Saturday at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. Sooryavanshi looked set to take the game away early, but a sharp Mohammed Siraj bouncer cut through his momentum, turning the chase on its head.
Siraj’s bouncer and a quick early breakthrough
Sooryavanshi wasted no time, striking a six off the very first ball he faced—also delivered by Siraj. The left-hander’s aggressive start gave Rajasthan a fast footing in their chase of 230.
But the turning point arrived in the third over. Siraj sent down a bouncer aimed towards Sooryavanshi’s head, and while the batter managed to get it up, the shot was handled easily, resulting in a straightforward catch taken by Arshad Khan.
From there, Siraj’s emotions took over as well, with visible intensity in his celebrations. Sooryavanshi walked back to the pavilion after scoring 36 runs from 16 balls, and Rajasthan never managed to recover from the blow as the match slipped away.
Rajasthan’s collapse as Gujarat win by 77 runs
Despite the early spark, Rajasthan were unable to build on the start. The Royals ultimately lost the contest by 77 runs, with the dismissal of Sooryavanshi playing a major role in the outcome.
As a result of the win, Gujarat Titans moved up to the second position on the points table, while Rajasthan dropped to fifth.
Kaif reacts to Siraj’s celebration—and the Jamieson precedent
Former India batter Mohammad Kaif highlighted the mood shift that follows such wickets, pointing to Siraj’s reaction after getting Sooryavanshi out. Kaif said that the youngster is rapidly becoming one of the most discussed wicket-men in T20 cricket.
- Kaif wrote that both Kyle Jamieson and Mohammed Siraj have shown animated celebrations after removing Sooryavanshi.
- He added that this reflects how the 15-year-old has grown into a significant wicket in the IPL.
- Kaif credited Sooryavanshi’s hard work and talent for the attention he is drawing.
The “send-off” that earned Jamieson a warning
This attention on celebrations is not new. Kyle Jamieson had previously behaved in a similarly animated manner when he dismissed Sooryavanshi for a clean-bowled wicket while playing for Delhi Capitals. Jamieson’s celebration involved a visible send-off directed towards the young batter, and it did not go unnoticed.
- Jamieson was issued a warning and given a demerit point for the manner of his celebration.
- The IPL’s official release stated he breached Article 2.5 of the Code of Conduct.
- That article covers “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from another player in the match.”
Match result recap
Returning to the Saturday fixture, Gujarat Titans defeated Rajasthan Royals by 77 runs. The Titans climbed to second place, while the Royals fell to fifth after the loss.
