Suryavanshi.
| Photo Credit: MOORTHY RV

On the eve of its crucial IPL encounter against a resurgent Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag credited young Vaibhav Suryanvanshi for lifting the team morale.

“Firstly, I don’t want to focus too much on his age — he’s here because of his ability. Yes, 14 is very young, but we treat him like any other player, not as a kid. He’s changed the entire atmosphere in the camp. We were missing that spark in tight games, and he came in and completely shifted the momentum,” said Parag.

He emphasised that the team isn’t thinking about the points table and other scenarios. “The message is clear — we’re taking it one game at a time. Looking at the table only builds pressure and unrealistic expectations. We’re staying committed to our process and focusing on strong team performances. We’ll see where that takes us.”

MI pacer Trent Boult, who previously played for RR, shared his thoughts ahead of the encounter.

“No team wants to start poorly, but our turnaround — five wins in a row — has been a huge boost. There’s confidence now, and it’s encouraging to see different players stepping up in different games. That’s the strength of this side,” said Boult.

Reflecting on his former team, he added: “It’s a team and a ground I know very well, but I’m in different colours now. We’ve got a bowling unit that can adapt to various conditions, and I’m really looking forward to this contest”.