After Jasprit Bumrah made headlines recently, Josh Hazlewood found himself in the firing line this Friday as 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck a rapid 78 off just 26 balls to help Rajasthan Royals overhaul Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 201 and secure victory with two overs still left. Sooryavanshi made it clear that his approach is simple: focus on the ball, not the name on the back of the jersey.
Sooryavanshi’s quickfire message and the chase
- Sooryavanshi faced Hazlewood with the confidence of someone playing his natural game, insisting he “plays the ball, not the bowler” even when the matchup is with a top-tier international.
- His knock included three boundaries and a six struck off four consecutive deliveries from the Australian pacer, underlining how quickly he can change the tempo.
- Despite tasting instant stardom, the youngster said his feet remain firmly on the ground, crediting support from his father Sanjiv and Rajasthan Royals staff member Romi Bhinder, who keep him grounded with practical guidance.
- He added that the key is staying focused on the game and understanding that success is a long journey rather than a single moment.
- Sooryavanshi admitted he felt disappointed after being dismissed on 78 because the Royals missed out on additional runs at a crucial stage of the chase.
- At the post-match presentation, he said that if he had stayed longer, he believed he could have added around 20 more runs, which would have further strengthened the team’s position.
Rajasthan Royals ultimately defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets, extending their unbeaten run to four consecutive wins and handing RCB their first defeat of the season. The chase was driven by Sooryavanshi’s blazing 78 and Dhruv Jurel’s unbeaten 81, with the duo stitching together a pivotal 108-run partnership. Ravindra Jadeja also chipped in with an unbeaten 24 as RR reached the target of 202 in 18 overs.
RCB’s 201/8 and how the innings unfolded
Earlier in the match, RCB posted 201/8, with captain Rajat Patidar top-scoring for the visitors on 63. Venkatesh Iyer provided a late surge with a cameo that helped RCB reach a defendable total. Jofra Archer and Ravi Bishnoi struck early to create pressure, but Bengaluru managed to recover and cross the 200-mark, only to fall short against Rajasthan’s aggressive response.
