Vaibhav Sooryavanshi admitted he felt the nerves when he had to face Jasprit Bumrah on Tuesday, a duel that turned into a highlight of the Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 meeting with Mumbai Indians in Guwahati. Rain disrupted the opening phase, pushing the contest to 11 overs per side, but the contest still delivered plenty of fireworks—especially in the early exchanges between Sooryavanshi and the Mumbai pacer.
Key takeaways
- Sooryavanshi said he was anxious while facing Jasprit Bumrah, despite ultimately trying to play the ball rather than the “game”.
- Rain delayed the first innings, and the match was reduced to 11 overs each.
- In the second over of Rajasthan’s innings, Sooryavanshi struck two sixes—one over wide long-on and another to the deep after a leg-side delivery.
- Sooryavanshi was dismissed in the fifth over for 39 off 13 balls, with his innings featuring four and five maximums.
- Rajasthan finished on 150/3 in 11 overs, while Mumbai managed 123/9, with RR winning by 27 runs.
Sooryavanshi vs Bumrah: early aggression in Guwahati
Rajasthan began their chase of momentum with Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the order. Sooryavanshi came on in the second over and was immediately aggressive against Bumrah, taking the attack from the first ball of his spell.
On the opening delivery he met, Bumrah slightly missed his line and length, allowing Sooryavanshi to dispatch the ball over wide long-on for a six. The teenager then rotated the strike with a single, and on the third delivery Jaiswal responded in the same vein by taking a single as well.
The fourth ball brought a change in tempo, as Bumrah sent a short, slower offering down the leg side. Sooryavanshi pulled it high and sent it deep into the stands beyond backward square leg for another six. The over then concluded with back-to-back dots, tightening the pressure at the end of Bumrah’s spell.
Dismissal, post-match words, and Rajasthan’s finishing burst
Sooryavanshi’s stay at the crease ended in the fifth over. Shardul Thakur removed him for 39 off 13 balls, a rapid knock containing four and five sixes.
After the match, Sooryavanshi spoke through Rajasthan’s social media channel about what it felt like to take on a pacer of Bumrah’s stature. He said it didn’t feel overwhelming in the moment and that his focus was on the ball. Still, he admitted he was nervous because such a prominent fast bowler was delivering from in front of him, adding that he tried to back his own plan and play the ball instead of getting caught up in the bigger occasion.
He also explained the reasoning behind going early for batting drills a day before the game. In his view, those sessions helped because they were practiced from a short distance and with Bumrah-style pace coming quickly. That, he said, gave him additional time to settle once he finally faced the bowler. He further noted that after the previous match, he felt there were one or two aspects he needed to improve to strengthen his batting, which is why he adjusted his preparation early.
Sooryavanshi added a reflection from his recent outings, saying that in his last two innings he had been getting out after playing well. He referenced the first match where he hit a good shot that unfortunately went straight to a fielder. He believed that if he had managed to bat longer during this game, the total would likely have been far bigger.
Alongside Sooryavanshi’s contribution, Jaiswal provided the main impetus with an unbeaten knock of 77 off 32 balls. Rajasthan capitalised on the shortened format, reaching 150/3 in 11 overs. In reply, Mumbai Indians were kept under control and were restricted to 123/9 in their 11 overs, handing Rajasthan a 27-run victory.
