Vaibhav’s fearless hit against Bumrah took pressure off me: Jaiswal

Rajasthan Royals’ teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stunned the crowd by smashing Jasprit Bumrah for a first-ball six , setting the tone for his team’s 27-run victory over Mumbai Indians in a rain-affected IPL match here.

The much-anticipated duel between the 15-year-old opener and India’s premier fast bowler quickly turned into a statement moment. Sooryavanshi fearlessly attacked Bumrah, striking two sixes in the pacer’s opening over and giving Rajasthan the perfect start.

Opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal , who later anchored the innings with 77 not out off 32 balls , said the youngster’s aggressive approach made things easier at the other end.

“ First ball he hit him for a six , and I told him to keep playing his shots,” Jaiswal said. “Bumrah bhai is one of the legends, so scoring against him like that gave us confidence to take on the other bowlers.”

Sooryavanshi’s explosive 39 off just 14 balls laid the foundation in the 11-overs-a-side contest , while Jaiswal guided Rajasthan to 150 for 3 . The duo shared a blistering 80-run opening stand off only 30 balls , putting the Mumbai attack under early pressure.

Chasing the target, Mumbai Indians could only manage 123 for 9 , suffering their second straight defeat , while Rajasthan Royals climbed to the top of the table with three wins from three matches .

Jaiswal, now the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 170 runs , credited hard work and adaptability for his form.“I just try to live in the present moment and keep improving ,” the left-hander said.