Impressed by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fearless assault on Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal said his 15-year-old opening partner made things easier for him during Rajasthan Royals’ 27-run win over Mumbai Indians in a rain-affected IPL clash.
The spotlight before the match was firmly on the much-anticipated contest between Bumrah and the teenage sensation, and Sooryavanshi rose to the occasion in style. He smashed a 131 kph delivery from the star pacer for a six off the very first ball, setting the tone.
“First ball, he hit him for a six, and I told him to just keep playing his shots,” said Jaiswal, who remained unbeaten on 77 off 32 balls as Rajasthan posted 150/3 in the rain-curtailed 11-overs-a-side encounter.
In response, Mumbai Indians could only manage 123/9, slumping to their second consecutive defeat, while Rajasthan Royals moved to the top of the table with three wins in as many matches.
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The young left-hander from Bihar, signed for ₹1.1 crore in the 2025 IPL mega auction, had already made headlines last season by becoming the youngest centurion in T20 cricket and registering the second-fastest IPL hundred—a blistering 35-ball effort against Gujarat Titans.
On this occasion too, Sooryavanshi looked in complete control from the outset, even with Bumrah taking the new ball. Having just turned 15 before the start of IPL 2026, he struck two of his four sixes off Bumrah in the opening over and raced to 39 off just 14 deliveries.
His aggressive approach eased the pressure on Jaiswal at the other end, allowing both batters to take on other bowlers such as Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult, who conceded 22 runs each in their respective overs.
“Of course, Bumrah bhai is one of the legends, so if he’s scoring against him, it’s amazing. It made us feel that we could take on the other bowlers as well,” said Jaiswal, who struck 10 fours and four sixes while anchoring the innings.
“It was great to see him play his shots freely. That took the pressure off me, and I could focus on targeting other bowlers. It was a wonderful partnership, and we really enjoyed it,” he added. The pair put on a blistering 80 runs in just 30 balls to give their team a flying start.
Jaiswal also spoke about the chemistry between the two. “It’s amazing to bat with Vaibhav. We both like to play attacking cricket and keep encouraging each other. I’ve been playing for a few years now, so I just wanted to adapt to the situation and give the team a strong start,” he said.
With two fifties in three matches, Jaiswal is now the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 170 runs. He credited his form to consistent hard work and adaptability.
“I’ve been working hard in the nets and trying different shots. A lot depends on the wicket, but I always look to improve and make small adjustments,” he said. “I try to stay in the present and enjoy the game while constantly striving to get better,” added the 24-year-old.
Reflecting on the rain-hit contest, Jaiswal said the team had to stay flexible. “We didn’t know how the game would unfold because of the weather. We had to adapt, especially against a strong side like Mumbai Indians,” he noted.
Gavaskar impressed with Sooryavanshi
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s performance impressed legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. Speaking ahead of the next fixture, Gavaskar admitted the contest left a strong impression on him, even though he supports Mumbai Indians. “It was absolutely fantastic to watch. I’m a Mumbai Indians supporter, so in a way I wouldn’t have enjoyed it, but the fact that it was a 15-year-old taking on the best bowler across formats made it special,” he said.
“Batters with great experience and strong records have not been able to take apart Jasprit Bumrah like he did in those first few deliveries,” he observed.
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