Vibhu Suryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals (AP Photo)
Rajasthan Royals‘The batting coach Vikram Rathore Admitted that Mitchell Starc’s decisive over swung the momentum completely in favor of Delhi Capitals, as RR suffered yet another setback in the tight IPL 2026 playoff race. Royals were in a commanding position at 162/2 and looked set for a total in the 220-230 range before collapsing to 193/8, eventually falling short as Delhi Capitals comfortably chased down the target to keep their playoff hopes alive. The biggest turning point came when Starc tore through the middle and death overs. Ryan PragueDonovan Ferreira and Ravi Singh in one devastating spell that stopped RR’s momentum completely. However, most of RR’s innings once again revolved around their teenage sensation Vibhu Suryavanshi, who continued to impress with another fearless knock at the top. The youngster scored a 21-ball 46, hitting five fours and three sixes, and once again gave Rajasthan a brilliant start along with Dhruv Jaril. Speaking after the match, Vikram Rathore admitted that the team fell short of expectations. “We were 20 runs down. We were 160/2 and we should have reached 220-230. Losing three wickets in one over doesn’t help. We could have been smarter with our selections in that over. We can make mistakes in every game, and the idea is to learn from them and I hope they take different options in the next game. That over (Starc’s) changed for us.“ He also confirmed the fitness concerns in the squad, adding, “It will be good to give them a break for one more match”. Ravindra JadejaSwallow the knee. On tactical decisions during the chase, Rathore backed captain Ryan Parag’s call to bowl the 18th over to Donovan Ferreira, though it proved costly as Delhi capitalised. “It is the captain who takes decisions. He is following his gut feeling. Our option was to bring six bowlers. But when we lost wickets quickly, we picked Dasan Shanaka as an impact sub. Otherwise, we could have picked a bowler as an impact player.” Some plans are discussed with the analyst and the coach, but there on the pitch, it is the captain who carries the ball,” he explained. He also clarified that Parag did not bowl due to a hamstring problem, further limiting RR’s options at a crucial stage. Despite the loss, Rathore Vibhu remained confident about Suryavanshi’s rapid rise, dismissing concerns over his ability against slower deliveries. “No one is perfect in this world,” he added, “everyone will have some weakness. I don’t think Vaibhav has any weakness against slower balls. On a wicket where the ball is in the grip, a change of pace is good against any batsman, not just Vibhu. He further praised the impact of the young player and called him a special talent. “A lot has been said about his ability, and he’s given us a great start. I hope he turns one of those innings and goes deep. Not too far from the way he’s batting.” So far in IPL 2026, Vibhu Suryavanshi has scored 486 runs in 12 innings at an average of 40.50 and a strike rate of 234.78, including a century and two fifties, making him the highest run-scorer for RR this season. In the match itself, his early fireworks helped RR build momentum as he and Jorrell put on a 70-run stand, while Parag’s 51 off 26 balls added to the momentum. But from 162/2, the innings unraveled dramatically with Starc (4/39), Lungi Ngidi (2/24) and Madhav Tiwary (2/27). In reply, Delhi Capitals were led by Abhishek Poral’s (51) half-centuries. KL Rahul (56), before Akshar Patel (34*) and Ashutosh Sharma (18*) completed the chase with ease, winning by five wickets with four balls to spare.
