GUWAHATI: Talk surrounding Rajasthan Royals\u2019 explosive start this season has repeatedly circled around a teenage prodigy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Ahead of the franchise\u2019s third and final home fixture of the campaign in Guwahati\u2014often viewed as a \u201csecond home ground\u201d for them\u2014there was little change in the storyline, even with defending champions Rajasthan Royals\u2019 upcoming opponents, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), arriving in the city for the first time. RCB will be led by the confidence of their captain, Virat Kohli, who has been in fine touch.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Royals\u2019 pace bowling coach Shane Bond delivered high praise for the 15-year-old phenom. Bond, speaking about the youngster\u2019s impact, said, \u201cHe\u2019s incredible.\u201d The former New Zealand fast bowler also drew a comparison to his own family, adding that while he has a 17-year-old son, Vaibhav\u2019s current output and execution stand out as exceptional. Bond further pointed to the way the teenager has been developing his craft, noting, \u201cIt\u2019s not just reckless hitting\u2014he\u2019s selecting the right balls and you can see growth. There\u2019s a maturity in his batting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sooryavanshi\u2019s early-season flamboyance has naturally translated into innings that can shift matches, but the Royals\u2019 top-order rhythm has not relied on one player alone. Opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal has provided steady quality as well, combining boundary threat with calm judgement. His performances have helped him sit at the top of the Orange Cap standings, collecting 170 runs across three games. Those runs include two half-centuries.<\/p>\n
With the batting unit\u2014largely powered by the openers\u2019 aggressive starts\u2014creating strong foundations, Rajasthan have built a platform for results. Yet their bowling has also played its part, with the attack doing its job close to perfection. Still, on Friday, Rajasthan will face a team in comparably good form, which could test how complete their dominance truly is.<\/p>\n
RCB, the defending champions, have looked like they have carried momentum into this season. After winning their first two matches comfortably, they appear to have picked up where they finished last year. With both batting and bowling departments clicking together, the Rajat Patidar-led side will be eager to disrupt the Royals\u2019 momentum before the team shifts focus to its Jaipur home fixtures.<\/p>\n
While RCB\u2019s top order has been producing consistently, Devdutt Padikkal has particularly kept the spotlight on recent outings. In his last two games, he has scored well-timed, beautifully paced half-centuries, underlining how the Bengaluru batting line-up is balancing flair with control.<\/p>\n
GUWAHATI: Talk surrounding Rajasthan Royals\u2019 explosive start this season has repeatedly circled around a teenage prodigy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Ahead of the franchise\u2019s third and final…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"RR vs RCB IPL 2026 Preview: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in Guwahati","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"RR vs RCB in Guwahati: Can Vaibhav Sooryavanshi deliver another big hit as Rajasthan chase momentum and RCB look to strike back in IPL 2026?","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n