Guwahati, April 11 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi credited his disciplined approach and focus on fundamentals after a match-winning performance, saying he aims to "play the ball and not the bowler" even against top players, while emphasizing the guidance from his father and mentors to stay grounded and committed to the long journey ahead.
Sooryavanshi led a powerful attack to start Rajasthan Royals' chase, easily dismantling Royal Challengers Bengaluru's bowling with bold shots as the hosts continued their dominance with a six-wicket victory over RCB.
"I just try to leverage my strengths and execute what I have practiced. Of course, I am aware of who the bowler is. But, I try to focus on playing the ball and not the bowler," said Sooryavanshi after the match.
The teenager played with stunning audacity, his clean, powerful strokes sending the ball racing 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.
He first smashed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for consecutive boundaries and then led the attack on Josh Hazlewood, scoring 19 runs in the process.
"My father keeps guiding me. Here, my guardian is Romi sir. They keep telling me that the journey is long, so I have to focus on my game and not anything else," Sooryavanshi said.
Visibly disappointed after being dismissed for 78, Sooryavanshi had already put Rajasthan Royals in a comfortable position, with Dhruv Jurel going on to win the match for the team.
"If I stay in, I know that we can reach the target a couple of overs earlier. So, if I get out playing a loose shot, it disappoints me," Sooryavanshi added.