IPL 2026: Another facet of Suryavanshi’s batting on display

At the Eden Gardens on Sunday (April 19, 2026), a noticeably different version of Vaibhav Suryavanshi took the field. The teenage Rajasthan Royals (RR) sensation, was spotted working on his defence alongside opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal during the warm-up ahead of the IPL 2026 clash with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He carried that preparation into the game itself.

Typically known for his aggressive, free-flowing strokeplay from the outset, Suryavanshi showed a more measured approach on a surface that played slower than expected. 30% of his shots were aimed at strike rotation, while a further 3.3% were purely defensive.

Asked about the same, RR’s lead assistant coach Vikram Rathour didn’t want to take any credit away from the youngster. “It was entirely Vaibhav’s decision. He’s been asked to back his instinct. The surface was slow. However, we didn’t expect it to be this slow. They played accordingly. We assess every situation and adapt. They did that brilliantly in the first 10 overs,” he said.