Guwahati, April 11 – Riyan Parag acknowledged that Rajasthan Royals were not at their best at the venue in previous seasons, but praised his team's clinical all-round performance after their victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while adding that despite a strong effort, they still felt they conceded 20 runs above par.
"Considering previous years, we were not up to the mark (at this venue), but today we were very clinical. The way we bowled and started, we could have scored 200, but we still felt we conceded 20 runs more than par (due to the wickets we took in the middle). We should have restricted them to around 170. This is a pitch where not many sixes are hit off spin. We gave them room and played into their hands. We prepared well in Guwahati and Jaipur. We knew what the black soil does here. We were well prepared for any home game. It didn't feel like a home game, but we were prepared. Before the start of the season, we wanted to be a team that assesses and adapts well. Having played on some challenging pitches, once we get a good pitch, we will do even better," said RR captain Parag after the match.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi led a powerful attack to start Rajasthan Royals' chase, easily dismantling Royal Challengers Bengaluru's bowling with aggressive shots as the hosts continued to dominate with a 6-wicket win over RCB.
The teenager played with stunning audacity, his clean and powerful shots sending the ball to the boundary with ease, with 15 of his 26 deliveries resulting in boundaries.
By the time he mis-hit one off Krunal Pandya, the damage was already done, putting Rajasthan Royals firmly in control. Although they experienced a brief wobble, slipping from 129/1 to 134/4, Suryavanshi's strong foundation ensured the chase remained well within reach.
"Everyone loves him, and we try to make that available for him. He is still a kid, and he loves batting," added Parag.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru had a dramatic start as Jofra Archer dismissed Phil Salt with a sharp bouncer on the very first ball. Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal countered well, putting together a quick 45-run partnership in just 17 balls, but Rajasthan responded strongly. Archer removed Padikkal, while Ravi Bishnoi changed the game with two quick wickets, bowling Kohli and getting Krunal Pandya out. Sharp fielding from Shimron Hetmyer made things worse for RCB. Jitesh Sharma also got out shortly after, leaving RCB struggling at 76/5 in 8.4 overs.
Romario Shepherd offered a brief counterattack, scoring a rapid 22 before being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja. Debutant Venkatesh Iyer then partnered with Rajat Patidar, shifting the momentum. Patidar went from a cautious start to a fast half-century, marked by several sixes. However, he ultimately fell to Sandeep Sharma. A late effort from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Iyer (29 off 15) helped RCB reach a good total of 201/8 in their 20-over quota.