Pratiksha Ghosh
New Delhi, May 21 2025:On Tuesday ,Rajasthan Royals wrapped up their Indian Premier League season with an impressive six-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The match once again highlighted the extraordinary talent of 14-year-old opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who played a composed yet impactful knock of 57 runs off 33 balls.
Suryavanshi, who has already turned heads with his explosive 101 against Gujarat Titans earlier in the season, displayed maturity beyond his years in what was his second half-century in just six matches. While his partner Yashasvi Jaiswal went on the attack early with a quickfire 36 off 19 balls, Suryavanshi took a more measured approach before opening up his innings.
The teenager struck four sixes and four boundaries, forming a crucial 98-run partnership with skipper Sanju Samson, who contributed a steady 41 off 31 balls.
Suryavanshi brought up his fifty with a six off Noor Ahmad and also took on veteran spinner Ravindra Jadeja, clearing the ropes twice.
Chasing 188, the Royals appeared in full control at 135/2, but a brief stumble saw them lose two quick wickets.
However, Dhruv Jurel (31 off 12) and Shimron Hetmyer (12 off 5) calmed the nerves with a flurry of boundaries, sealing the match with seven balls to spare.
Earlier in the day, Chennai Super Kings suffered early blows, slipping to 12/2 as Yudhvir Singh struck twice in quick succession.
Despite the early setback, young Ayush Mhatre provided a spark with a breezy 43 off 20 balls. Middle-order contributions from Dewald Brevis (42 off 25) and Shivam Dube (39 off 32) helped CSK post a respectable 187/7. Veteran MS Dhoni scored 16 off 17 deliveries, and while he couldn’t accelerate at the death, he did cross a significant milestone—becoming only the fourth Indian to hit 350 sixes in T20 cricket.Yudhvir Singh (3/47) and Akash Madhwal (3/29) were the pick of the bowlers for Rajasthan, sharing six wickets between them.
Amid the game, Ms Dhoni , CSK captain praised the young talents in the league but emphasized the need for consistency. He stated “If you’re going to play at a 200-plus strike rate, consistency will be tough—but these kids have the power. They must learn to handle expectations and read the game better.”
As Rajasthan bowed out with a win and the spotlight firmly on the young Suryavanshi, the future of Indian cricket looks brighter than ever.