Vaibhav Sooryavanshi showed on Tuesday night that reputation counts for little once he steps into the middle. The 15-year-old batted with remarkable clarity and zero hesitation, even when facing Jasprit Bumrah for the first time. The left-hander took on one of the world’s best straightaway, launching the very first ball he faced for a six, underlining his bold approach.
He wasn’t done there either. Sooryavanshi followed it up with another six in the same over, refusing to retreat and instead putting Bumrah under pressure. It was a fearless display, one that highlighted his willingness to take on any bowler, regardless of stature, and play his natural attacking game without second thoughts.
Sooryavanshi scored 39 runs off 14 balls, which was laced with five sixes, as the Mumbai Indians almost hit the panic button before Shardul Thakur got the better of him.
Former India captain Anil Kumble was particularly impressed, noting how the youngster not only attacked Bumrah but also turned the tables tactically, reading the situation, anticipating the variation, and staying one step ahead in a contest where the bowler usually dominates.
“Sooryavanshi makes it look easy against one of the world’s best bowlers. First ball, he hits him for a six and then sets him up. He set the bowler up, not the other way around. We’ve generally seen Bumrah set up batters so many times, but here, Sooryavanshi set Bumrah up to bowl that slower ball on the third delivery, and he was waiting for it to hit him for another six. It was brilliant batting by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, just the way he strikes the ball and the consistency he has shown in terms of strike-rate. He is striking at close to 300 in every game and scoring more than 30 runs consistently, which is outstanding, Kumble said on JioHotstar.
“Mumbai Indians lacked a bit of purpose and intent”
The legendary spinner further pointed out a clear lack of urgency in Mumbai Indians’ approach, both with the ball and in the chase. He felt the intent was missing in key phases, which allowed Rajasthan Royals to seize control with a more disciplined and purposeful bowling effort.
“It felt like the Mumbai Indians lacked a bit of purpose and intent with the ball, and that certainly spilled over into the batting. It was always going to be a big task to score 151 in 11 overs, but the way the Rajasthan Royals bowlers came in, you could see the intent. They wanted to hit the deck hard. They have pace, both the opening fast bowlers, and they also took the pace off effectively. It wasn’t full like how Deepak Chahar bowled, it was more about hitting the deck,” he added.
Continuing his assessment, Kumble also highlighted the impact of Sandeep Sharma, who once again delivered at key moments and troubled Rohit Sharma. He noted how Sandeep’s consistency and control proved decisive, while Mumbai Indians’ hopes briefly rested on a fightback before fading quickly.
“Sandeep Sharma once again proved what a reliable fast bowler he is, becoming a nemesis for Rohit Sharma yet again. He’s dismissed Rohit a few times now. It would be tough for any batter to keep going in those conditions. I thought MI had a bit of a chance when Rutherford was there, but even that glimmer of hope was taken away quickly,” he concluded.
