Rabada Hails Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Skill After RR’s Qualifier 2 Exit

South Africa pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada praised Rajasthan Royals youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for his ability to unsettle batters with quick reactions and an early read of the ball’s length. Rabada also reflected on Gujarat Titans’ bowling effort as RR’s run in the season ended in Qualifier 2, where Gujarat prevailed by 7 wickets and booked a place in the final.

Sooryavanshi’s rise and Rabada’s assessment

1. Rabada said Sooryavanshi has been able to “dominate” bowlers in the IPL at just 15 years old, crediting fast hands and the knack of picking lengths early.
2. He noted that Sooryavanshi lifted his game after the Eliminator, turning in scores of 97 and 96 as the playoffs progressed into Qualifier 2.
3. Despite those big contributions, Rajasthan could not reach the championship match, falling to Gujarat in Qualifier 2 by 7 wickets.
4. Rabada, who had earlier denied Sooryavanshi a century in their Friday meeting, told JioHotstar that the batter “keeps amazing everyone” and plays with a lot of energy.
5. He added that youthful fearlessness shows in Sooryavanshi’s approach, describing it as natural instinct that helps him perform at this level.
6. Rabada stressed that at this stage, age becomes irrelevant because the impact Sooryavanshi is having speaks for itself.

What Rabada said about Gujarat’s bowling control

1. Rabada highlighted that his side’s bowlers managed to keep RR’s batting under pressure during the early and middle phases.
2. He cited his own spell as 4 overs for 35 runs and 2 wickets, describing the initial plan as backing strengths and trying to secure early dismissals.
3. He acknowledged that while Gujarat did get two early wickets, RR recovered and Gujarat missed key execution moments, particularly by bowling too many short balls when more direct challenges were needed.
4. Rabada said the match never slipped fully away because Gujarat still believed they could take more wickets, adding that they held the game under control until the 19th over.
5. He also pointed out the difficulty for Rashid Khan to bowl on the wicket against genuine power hitters, implying that Gujarat probably should have limited RR further.
6. Rabada suggested that a target range of 180–190 might have been achievable for restricting RR, aside from the impact of a dropped chance involving Sooryavanshi.

Partnership mindset with Mohammed Siraj

1. Rabada discussed his bowling partnership with Mohammed Siraj, saying Siraj is his partner for the season and they aim to apply pressure from opposite ends.
2. He explained that when Siraj creates pressure, he tries to match it so they can take wickets together.
3. Rabada added that everyone knows Siraj’s qualities—heart and skill—and that bowling alongside him increases the chances of breakthroughs because the pressure remains constant, or even intensifies.

Reactions from Anil Kumble, Ashwin, and praise for Shubman Gill

1. Former India captain and head coach Anil Kumble called Shubman Gill’s 53-ball 104 a “chanceless” innings.
2. Kumble said Gill’s approach showed he was clearly switched on and determined to reach the final.
3. He noted that Gill would likely have been disappointed after the performance against RCB in Qualifier 1.
4. Kumble praised how Gill took the bowlers on, explaining that the plan was to go hard in the first over to set a statement, then continue building from there.
5. He highlighted that Gill used his feet well against Ravindra Jadeja, calling it a classic, faultless innings and a “captain’s knock” for reaching a final with a hundred.
6. Ravichandran Ashwin said the two most consistent teams in the IPL have made it to the final.
7. Ashwin pointed out that both teams finished the league stage on 18 points, adding that they therefore deserved their places.
8. He also said he had long viewed Gujarat Titans as a surprise package.