Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fearless shooting is pushing Yashasvi Jaiswal to raise his own game, the 24-year-old said after Rajasthan Royals’ April 7 win over Mumbai Indians.
The two left-handers, nine years apart, threw themselves into the MI bowling attack to guide Rajasthan to 150 in a rain-curtailed match in 11 overs. In reply, Mumbai never found the required pace and managed just 123 for 9.
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MI were rattled early when Sooryavanshi blasted Jasprit Bumrah for a first-ball six, a hit that set the tone for the innings. The youngster, in just his second IPL season, smashed 39 off 14 balls before falling to Shardul Thakur in the fifth over.
Sooryavanshi’s release came in dramatic fashion. He squeaked a full delivery over extra cover only for Tilak Varma to time his dive perfectly for a boundary to complete a stunning catch.
At the other end, Jaiswal matched the pace, the duo put together an 80-run stand. While Sooryavanshi fell, Jaiswal continued and finished unbeaten on 77 off 32 balls in a shortened game.
Jaiswal combined kicks and shots with his traditional stroke play, making life difficult for the Mumbai bowlers. The attack was so relentless that only MI captain Hardik Pandya conceded less than 10 runs per over.
After the match, Jaiswal credited the young Sooryavanshi for forcing him to equalise.
“The way he is playing is tremendous. He is also working hard, so I am also motivated – I feel I have to develop some other shots as well,” Jaiswal told the TV station.
“We have these discussions all the time, like how we can go about it. If he takes on someone, I only give him positive news – that you can go to him, just play freely, khel bindaas (smiles),” he added.
Explosive starts by Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi at the top ensured that Rajasthan Royals did not feel the absence of Sanju Samson, who had been with the franchise for 13 seasons. RR’s strong run has now taken them to three wins in three matches – against Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians.
The team is currently at the top of the IPL table with a healthy Net Run Rate of +2.403.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
08 Apr 2026 09:04 IST
