Advise For Teen Phenom Sooryavanshi? Stick To Natural Play

GUWAHATI -Teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who lit up the ACA Stadium with a blistering 52 off 17 balls as Rajasthan Royals secured an eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings, said the team’s focus was on dominating the powerplay in a modest chase of 128 at the ACA Stadium.

“I didn’t really do anything outside – there was supposed to be a cake cutting, but I went to sleep early to avoid the cake-smearing (on how he celebrated his birthday last week). The plan today was simply to execute well in the powerplay – initially the wicket felt a bit sticky, but as the ball got older, it started coming onto the bat nicely.

“I do think about defense, but today our plan was to control the game in the powerplay because in a small chase, that phase is crucial – if the bowling team does well there, the game can tilt their way, but our powerplay went really well,” he said at the conclusion of the game.

His explosive knock, also the third fastest fifty in IPL history, ensured RR’s chase of 128 was virtually sealed inside the first six overs.

Asked about guidance from coaches and fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi said, “The coaches didn’t specifically say that bowlers would attack me – everyone else was already saying that – but they just told me that they back me and that I should stick to my natural game and play according to the situation.

“My opening partner (Jaiswal) keeps communicating with me after every ball – he tells me when to take singles, keeps giving me the strike, and encourages me to keep playing my shots if the ball is coming nicely onto the bat (on partnership understanding),” he said. (IANS)