IPL 2025: Rohit Sharma Encourages Vaibhav Suryavanshi After Disappointing Duck Against MI

May 2, 2025: In a dominant performance by Mumbai Indians (MI), they crushed Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 100 runs at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Thursday, extending their winning streak to six matches. The victory not only propelled MI to the top of the IPL 2025 table but also effectively ended RR’s playoff hopes.

However, amidst MI’s dominance, a heartwarming moment unfolded after the match. Rohit Sharma, MI’s veteran leader, was seen offering words of encouragement to Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the young 14-year-old sensation from RR, who had a tough outing. Suryavanshi, fresh off a blistering century in his previous match against Gujarat Titans, failed to make an impact on Thursday, dismissed for a two-ball duck in the opening over.

In a gesture of mentorship, Rohit Sharma, who led MI with a composed 53 off 36 balls, approached Suryavanshi during the post-match handshakes. The two shared a brief conversation, with Rohit offering some kind words to the teenager. Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri, who was providing commentary for the match, observed the exchange and noted, “He will learn. Encouraging words from Rohit Sharma there, as well.”

Shastri also pointed out that every MI player who walked past Suryavanshi had a word of appreciation for the young batter: “Every MI player went past him had a couple of words to say. You don’t need those kinds of players every day. 14-year-old, scoring a hundred. Today, he got out on 0, but such is the game. That’s what he will learn.”

MI’s batting performance was nothing short of spectacular. After being asked to bat first, they piled on a massive 217/2, with Rohit Sharma (53), Ryan Rickelton (61), and explosive performances from Suryakumar Yadav (48 off 23) and Hardik Pandya (48 off 23) in the final overs.

In reply, RR’s chase never really gained momentum. The tone was set in just the fourth ball of the first over, when Deepak Chahar dismissed Suryavanshi for a duck. From there, MI’s bowlers, including Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, and Karn Sharma, made quick work of RR’s top order. Bumrah’s double strike and Karn Sharma’s brilliant 3/23 ensured that RR were bowled out for 117, giving MI a comfortable victory.

Despite the heavy defeat, Suryavanshi’s resilience will surely be strengthened by the words of encouragement he received from players like Rohit Sharma and the entire MI squad.