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Rajasthan Royals' (RR) all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja praised young batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi for his fearless and aggressive approach, saying he bats the same way in the nets as he does in matches.
Jadeja highlighted the difficult pitch conditions in RR's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 opener against Chennai Super Kings, were their was help for the seamers with the new ball, yet Suryavanshi still played attacking shots and raced to a quickfire fifty, calling it an exceptional effort. "Can't bowl him into the stumps in nets, he smashes every ball into the stands. Vaibhav has a very fearless mindset. Because he bats in the net the same way as he bats in the match. The batting that Vaibhav did today, it wasn't that easy. The new ball was swinging. It was so difficult, yet he was hitting big shots and scored 50 runs in just a few balls," Jadeja said in a video posted by the Rajasthan Royals on Instagram. It was another Suryavanshi special, the second-fastest fifty by an RR batter in IPL history, which helped RR to a one-sided win over CSK by eight wickets in Guwahati on Monday. While chasing 128 runs, it was his 15-ball half-century and quickfire 75-run stand with Jaiswal which totally put the match beyond CSK's reach. Suryavanshi also hailed Jadeja's vast experience and game awareness, noting that his deep understanding of batters and ability to outthink them make him a challenging opponent. He admitted that facing Jadeja is tough because of his smart, strategic bowling, but also said the contest is enjoyable and a valuable learning experience. "He has been playing in all three formats for India for a long time. He has a lot of experience. He knows everything about which batsman is going to do. He has so much knowledge because he is a big player. He knows where to bowl. It's obvious that if I am batting against him. It's a little tough, but it's fun in the competition," Suryavanshi said. Ahead of the 2026 season, Jadeja made a return to the Rajasthan Royals through a high-profile trade deal with CSK. Jadeja, along with Sam Curran, joined the Rajasthan franchise as Sanju Samson moved to the five-time champions. Jadeja was part of the Rajasthan Royals' historic 2008 title-winning squad, and later became an integral part of the Chennai Super Kings after joining them in 2012. (ANI)
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