Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dominates again; Rajasthan Royals continue winning run with victory over RCB

Guwahati: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi certainly owned the term ‘Impact Player’ on Friday. The 15-year-old batting sensation hit the ground running in Rajasthan Royals’ chase of 202 here at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, deflating defending champions RCB with a 26-ball 78 that enabled the hosts to win by four wickets with two overs to spare. The fourth straight win consolidated Royals’ position atop the table with 8 points from as many games while RCB remained on third spot with four points after three games.

Such is Sooryavanshi’s aura at this tender age that even Dhruv Jurel’s brilliant innings, an unbeaten 81 off 43 balls (8x4, 3x6), was left in the shade. When the Sooryavanshi show is on, everyone else can take a backseat. Just three days after hitting Jasprit Bumrah for a first-ball six in the game against Mumbai Indians game at this very ground, Sooryavanshi took on Josh Hazlewood without caring much for his reputation as one of the world’s frontline bowlers. The Aussie, returning from injury, was welcomed with a hat-trick of fours in his second over and then a six over deep square leg.

In the next over, the fifth of the RR innings, it was Bhuvneshwar Kumar who came in for punishment, being hit for two consecutive sixes as Sooryavanshi brought up his half-century off 15 balls.

The carnage came to an end when he was caught by Virat Kohli off Krunal Pandya at long on in the first ball of the ninth over. By the time he was out, though, Sooryavanshi had all but ensured Rajasthan’s victory, with the team cruising at 129/2 in 8.1 overs.

Jurel, in an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (24 not out off 25 balls), made sure there was no hiccup.

Earlier, following more than an hour’s delayed start due to rains, Rajat Patidar helped RCB to 201/8. While most of his top-order teammates either didn’t get a start or failed to convert one, Patidar played a captain’s knock amid some tight middle overs by the Rajasthan Royals bowlers in front of a crowd cheering for the defending champions. His 40-ball 63 with four fours and as many maximums coupled with some late charges by ‘Impact Player’ Venkatesh Iyer (29 not out off 15 balls) and Romario Shepherd (11-ball 22) helped RCB to a formidable total of 201/8.

Kohli, responsible for drawing the ‘home’ support, gave a sold-out crowd enough reasons to cheer with some trademark shots.