Dhruv Jurel played a terrific innings of 81* off 43 balls, scoring at a strike rate of 188 in a run chase of 202. On most days, this kind of knock gets the Man of the Match award and a great deal of traction.
However, that was not the case tonight. This is because young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi blew the RCB bowlers to smithereens with an unbelievable knock of 78 runs off only 26 balls, managing a jaw-dropping strike rate of 300.
Last month, Sooryavanshi had declared that he had his sights set on Chris Gayle’s IPL record of 175 runs. Given the way he has started his IPL career – 452 runs in 11 innings at an average of 41 and a strike rate of 229, including three fifties and one century – Sooryavanshi is the odds-on favorite among all batsmen in the IPL to go past Gayle’s highest individual score record in the IPL.
In four innings this season, he has amassed 200 runs at a thunderous strike rate of 266, which includes two half-centuries. The southpaw reached the fifty-run mark in 15 balls both times, against CSK earlier and tonight against RCB, and he broke the back of the tall chase in the powerplay tonight.
After smacking Jasprit Bumrah for a couple of sixes in RR’s previous match against Mumbai Indians, he took down the experienced duo of Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
He took Bhuvneshwar for two fours in the first over and then cracked three fours and a six in a single over to Hazlewood. Bhuvneshwar returned and conceded two sixes and a four as he leaked 26 runs in two overs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Explains Mindset When Facing Bumrah, Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar
Sooryavanshi talked about his exploits against Bumrah, Hazlewood, and Bhuvneshwar, asserting that he plays the ball and not the bowler.
He said, “I just try to do what I do in practice and try not to do extra, and back my natural game. Back of the mind, it is there (on who is bowling). I try to play the ball and not the bowler, and play my game.”
RR finished the powerplay at 97/1. Sooryavanshi then launched Krunal Pandya and Tim David for three sixes combined before falling to the left-arm spinner for 78 (26). Eight fours. Seven Sixes.
Despite such an onslaught, Sooryavanshi had his typical disappointing expression after getting out.
Vaibhav added, “If I am at the wicket, 10-20 runs extra can be scored or a target can be chased (1-2 overs earlier). That is what I get upset about – that I could play a little longer.”
With this victory, the Royals consolidated their position at the top of the points table, now with four wins in four games. This was RCB’s first loss in the IPL 2026.
When is RCB’s next match?
After losing to RR in Guwahati, RCB will fly to Mumbai, where they will face the Mumbai Indians on April 12, Sunday, at the Wankhede Stadium.
Rajasthan will take a flight for Hyderabad as they next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 13.
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