Mumbai Indians (MI) bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has downplayed the massive hype around teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of the IPL 2026 clash. The five-time IPL champions will take on the Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday, April 7.
Rajasthan will enter the contest after securing consecutive victories in their opening two matches. Meanwhile, Mumbai have a mixed record with one win and one defeat. Mumbai have emerged victorious on 16 occasions compared to Rajasthan’s 14 wins in 31 head-to-head meetings in the IPL.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Is Not New To The Indian Premier League – Paras Mhambrey
Paras Mhambrey stated that the Mumbai Indians will maintain their standard tactical preparations against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The bowling coach emphasized that the youngster is not an unknown player, as he is already playing his second tournament.
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“Vaibhav is not new. It is his second year. He has already played for one year. The way he has been performing, he has been batting well. We know he’s a good player, so our preparation will be on point. We will prepare for him as we do for the other players.”
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a 35-ball century against the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025 season. The teenager also scored a match-winning 175 off 80 deliveries to secure the U19 World Cup for India. However, the left-handed batter will face a challenge against Jasprit Bumrah.
The Rajasthan Royals batter struggled against the five-time champions last season. Deepak Chahar dismissed Sooryavanshi for a two-ball duck during their previous encounter.
Ravi Bishnoi Is Not A Mystery Spinner Anymore – Paras Mhambrey
Paras Mhambrey also dismissed the mystery factor surrounding Rajasthan Royals leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. The bowling coach stated that Bishnoi has played long enough for opposition teams to understand his variations.
“I don’t see Ravi as a mystery anymore. People have seen what he can do over the years. Every cricketer goes through phases. Sometimes a game goes well, sometimes it doesn’t.”
Hardik Pandya Fit To Lead Mumbai Indians After Missing Delhi Capitals Clash
Hardik Pandya will return to lead the Mumbai Indians after missing the previous game against Delhi Capitals due to illness. Suryakumar Yadav handled the stand-in captaincy duties during that six-wicket defeat. Paras Mhambrey confirmed that the all-rounder is fit to play.
“He will be available. He had a couple of good hours in the net session yesterday. So, he’s fit and fine. Hardik wasn’t injured. He was unwell. That’s the reason he missed the previous game.”
Mumbai Indians began their campaign with a successful run chase against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium. Hardik Pandya scored an unbeaten 18 runs off 11 balls and picked up one wicket. The home team chased down the massive 221-run target within 19.1 overs to secure victory.
The five-time champions failed to maintain their winning momentum in the subsequent match against the Delhi Capitals (DC). They suffered a six-wicket loss at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Also read: Shreyas Iyer tipped as future Team India captain by PBKS teammate amid IPL 2026
