New Delhi, March 31 (IANS) Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s sensational start to Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has already turned heads, with former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar predicting a blockbuster season for the teenage sensation after Rajasthan Royals’ dominant eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings on Monday.

Dropped for nought, Sooryavanshi raced to a 15-ball fifty – the third fastest in IPL history – with four fours and five sixes, powering RR to 74 without loss in the Powerplay. Though he fell soon after for 52, the damage was done.

“Vaibhav Suryavanshi was a class apart. He dominated a good bowling attack. He took on Matt Henry, a new ball bowler, who challenges top batters internationally. He toyed with Khaleel Ahmed, who swings the ball both ways. He got the better of Anshul Kamboj, known for hitting the deck hard with good length deliveries. He even made life difficult for mystery bowler Noor Ahmad.

“At the age of 15, he dominated four quality bowlers with his fearless batting and forced them to move away from their strengths. Henry had to bowl slower balls. Khaleel had to try different things. He put pressure on all of them. That shows Vaibhav, with his fearless approach, is getting into the minds of established bowlers. I admired that quality in his innings. The start this wonder boy has had makes sure it’s going to be a cracker of a season for him,” Bangar said on Jio Star.

Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim also heaped praise on the youngster, highlighting both his aggression and growing maturity at the crease.

“Vaibhav Suryavanshi started IPL 2026 from where he left off last season. It was yet another dominating show of aggressive batting. A joy to watch him execute the shots he played. He showed maturity in his knock, targeting the right deliveries, and he did that by batting at a strike-rate of more than 250. The more he progresses at this level, the better he will become.

“He is becoming very sagacious now and one can sense there is some kind of wisdom in the way he executes his shots. The intent remains the same. There is aggression. There is this intent of clearing the boundary whenever he gets an opportunity, be it against a pace bowler or even against a spin bowler,” Karim said.

While Suryavanshi stole the spotlight with the bat, Rajasthan’s bowlers laid the foundation earlier in the evening, with Nandre Burger playing a crucial role in dismantling CSK’s top order.

England pacer Jofra Archer began by swinging the ball both ways to trouble Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the opening over. Nandre Burger then made the first breakthrough by knocking over Samson for 6 with a delivery that shaped away and crashed into the off-stump.

Archer returned to remove Gaikwad in his second over – the CSK skipper backed away to access the off-side but missed a straight ball and was bowled for six. Burger intensified the collapse in the third over as Ayush Mhatre fell for a golden duck – gloving a bouncer to keeper Dhruv Jurel, as RR got the decision in their favour on review.

Karim explained what made the left-arm pacer so effective on the night. “Nandre Burger is rapid and his line and length was quite impeccable. He bowled a special delivery to dismiss Sanju Samson. It was a natural variation that took the ball away from Samson. He took Ayush Mhatre by surprise with his sharp bouncer.

“Left-arm pacers in any case flourish bowling those kinds of deliveries. Plus, since he is so rapid, he tends to hurry the batter and catches them off guard with unexpected deliveries. On a Guwahati pitch that was in favour of the pacers, Burger stuck to the good length deliveries, and they worked in a wonderful manner for him.”

Bangar also pointed out how Rajasthan’s new-ball pairing of Burger and Jofra Archer set the tone early, removing key CSK batters in quick succession.

“RR’s new ball bowlers Nandre Burger and Jofra Archer had a good outing against the opening pair of Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Both are quality batters and have the ability to take the game away from the opposition. But the way Archer and Burger bowled in tandem was really good to watch. Both were getting a lot of movement from the pitch, and the left-hand and right-hand bowling angles created problems for CSK’s opening pair.

“Once you get Sanju Samson out and then immediately in the next over you get the wicket of Ruturaj Gaikwad, it is icing on the cake. Those two are the most established batters of CSK, on whom the entire fulcrum of CSK’s batting revolves. Getting those powerplay wickets is extremely critical for any bowler to stamp their authority and get ahead in the game. It went really well for RR.”

–IANS

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