Yashasvi Jaiswal, still just 24 and among the brightest young stars in Indian cricket, has had to step into the senior role in his opening partnership with 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at Rajasthan Royals this IPL. Despite the age gap, the duo has clicked well for the Royals so far. Sooryavanshi has shown fearless intent, taking on bowlers from the very first ball with the clear aim of hitting the boundary. On the other hand, Jaiswal, while equally aggressive, brings a sense of control and structure to his strokeplay, balancing risk with responsibility. The contrast in styles has worked in the Royals’ favour, making them a formidable pair at the top and a key reason why the team remains firmly in the playoff race this season.
The duo clicked once again in the match against Punjab Kings where Sooryavanshi scored 43 out of their opening stand of 51 as Jaiswal was just happy to let the 15-year-old hog the limelight. Jaiswal made 51 off 27 balls. The duo set the tone for a successful chase with RR snapping PBKS’ unbeaten streak.
Jaiswal lauded his young opening partner Sooryavanshi after another impactful stand, saying he takes great joy in watching him dominate from the other end and praising the fearless approach the 15-year-old has brought to the top of the order this season.
“It’s amazing. I really enjoy batting with him (Sooryavanshi). He is playing amazing so I’m always happy seeing the other end, the way he’s hitting the ball,” Jaiswal said after the match.
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Asked if he feels like a veteran in the company with Sooryavanshi, Jaiswal reminded that he is still quite young himself.
“I don’t think so, I’m older. I’m still very young, but of course, the way he is and he’s quite young. So, I don’t know what to say about it, to be honest,” he added.
“Going to hit the ball if it is in our arc”: Jaiswal on RR’s chase plan
Explaining RR’s mindset during a daunting chase, Jaiswal said the plan was clear from the outset: maintain attacking intent and back themselves to go hard whenever the ball was in their hitting zones, especially on a high-scoring surface where a strong start was crucial.
“We knew that it’s a high-scoring ground. So we have to keep the intent and we have to go whenever we feel like. So I was also thinking, okay, if it is in my range, so I’m gonna hit it. We needed a good start because we have to score more than 200 runs. So it was pretty clear that we are going to hit the ball if it is in our arc,” he added