- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 93 guides Rajasthan Royals closer to IPL playoffs.
- Teenage prodigy remains focused on game despite rising hype.
- Pant backs LSG bowlers, citing difficult conditions and too many suggestions.
Jaipur: He is all of 15 but Vaibhav Sooryavanshi knows that if he plays long enough, he will be showered with accolades, something that should not make him waver from his pursuit of excellence.
After scoring 38-ball-93 in a seven-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants, which put Rajasthan Royals just one win away from the IPL play-offs, Sooryavanshi seemed very calm about all the hype surrounding him.
“I don’t read papers and all,” he said smilingly when asked if he reads what all is written bout him.
“I just think this is the start and if I have a long career then a lot of things will be said. I just want to focus on my game and complete journey,” said the teenage prodigy, who has now amassed 574 run in this edition.
On the day, he scored only 11 off the first 12 balls that he faced but then completed his 50 off just 23 balls.
“I was sitting while bowling and the wicket looked good, I didn’t want to rush and take my time. I knew that was going to help the other batter too. I always knew I could hit anytime and didn’t want to rush at all.” He has various kind of celebrations for every milestone but there is nothing that he does consciously.
“Even I don’t know what that was, even the last game’s celebration didn’t mean anything. I just keep trying new things.” About the last game on Sunday, Sooryavanshi said: “We just want to focus on the last game and enjoy it, and we want to win.” His skipper Yashasvi Jaiswal was all praise for his young opening partner.
“The way Vaibhav batted, he absolutely killed the game. I wanted to play good cricketing shots and get the momentum. Vaibhav and I said one of us should play till the end and he killed the game.” Pant’s slip of tongue =============== Rishabh Pant seemed to be lost for strategy and also words after yet another humiliating defeat.
“I’m proud of the team regardless. It doesn’t take away the fact that we’re a f***ing good team,” Pant said.
Despite a shoddy performance, he backed his bowlers.
“You always want to back your bowlers but it’s hard. On a wicket like this it’s hard, and too many suggestions also doesn’t work.”
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
