Jasprit Bumrah couldn’t do it. Neither could Josh Hazlewood nor Bhuvneshwar Kumar. With absolute disdain, showing little regard for reputation or seniority, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had taken each of the seasoned campaigners to the cleaners this season. That audacity shot his stocks up, with experts even urging the BCCI to fast-track the teenage prodigy into the Indian team straight after IPL 2026.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dismissed for just eight runs (ANI Picture Service)
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However, on Wednesday, Sooryavanshi was strangled in a fashion not witnessed before this season. Mohsin Khan of the Lucknow Super Giants did not just contain him—he forced the left-hander into submission with a near-perfect tactical trap.
Mohsin bowled a maiden over to Sooryavanshi—the first such instance against the batter this season—which eventually culminated in the prized wicket. The plan was simple yet precise: hard lengths aimed at the body, denying the batter any room to free his arms, combined with subtle variations. Some deliveries straightened off the pitch, others gripped the surface and darted away late, making stroke-making increasingly difficult.
An unrelenting sequence of five dot balls built the pressure. Then came the moment of release—manufactured rather than earned. Mohsin angled one towards the leg side, tempting Sooryavanshi into a cross-batted heave. Desperate to break free, the batter obliged, only to slice it aerially towards cover. Digvesh Rathi completed a fine running catch to seal the dismissal.
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An unrelenting sequence of five dot balls built the pressure. Then came the moment of release—manufactured rather than earned. Mohsin angled one towards the leg side, tempting Sooryavanshi into a cross-batted heave. Desperate to break free, the batter obliged, only to slice it aerially towards cover. Digvesh Rathi completed a fine running catch to seal the dismissal.
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It was also the first time this season that Sooryavanshi recorded a strike rate below 100, falling for 8 off 11 deliveries. His only runs came from two boundaries struck in the opening over against Prince Yadav. With those strokes, however, he still etched his name in the record books—becoming the fastest to 500 runs in IPL history, reaching the milestone in just 227 balls, surpassing Glenn Maxwell’s previous record of 260 balls.
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Earlier in the match, Mohammad Shami had set the tone with a double strike, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel off consecutive deliveries after LSG opted to bowl first.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/Mohsin Khan does what Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood couldn’t—strangles Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with wicket-maiden burst
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