The Technical Audit: Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Bat-Swing Faces a Structural Test in Manchester
A Rajasthan Royals teammate casts doubt on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's style ahead of the Manchester T20I. Inside the technical analysis of his bat-swing.
I've kept a keen eye on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium this evening, and it is well known that when the champions of the last two seasons come to town it is an energy that can't be matched. Game 23 in the the IPL2026 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) did not disappoint as the hype even though it was an extremely competitive and a bit one-sided match. It is evident how much momentum the RCB is building under the leadership of Rajat Patidar in their quest to regain their place in top of the table. top of the table, with an impressive five-wicket win on the 15th of April, 2026..
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Toss Report: Tactical Advantage for the Hosts
The evening began with a vital toss. Rajat Patidar was the winner and, like we usually encounter often in Bengaluru decided to bat first. I think this was an intelligent decision given the likelihood of rain late in the evening. Rishabh Pant Captain of LSG stated that they had been ready to bat and the pressure to set a goal in a pitch that was slowing ended up being their downfall.
There were some notable changes to the lineups this evening. The most notable was that Josh Hazlewood returned to the RCB XI, bringing the veterans stability that they desperately needed. In the case of LSG their absence of lightning-fast Mayank Yadav was a major hit to their bowling.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) XI: Phil Salt (wk), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam Dar, Josh Hazlewood. (Impact Player: Suyash Sharma)
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) XI: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, George Linde, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav. (Impact Player: Digvesh Singh Rathi)
Match Analysis: Rasikh Salam Dar Destroys LSG
It is well-known that Chinnaswamy is a popular bowling venue. Chinnaswamy Chinnaswamy is typically the graveyard of bowlers however, tonight, Rasikh Salam Dar transformed it into his private playground. Dar had a best-ever performance that lasted 4/24 in which he ripped away at his way through the bowlers in the middle orders. I was especially impressed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar who's 3/7 made sure his LSG was never able to form alliances.
Lucknow was a struggle at the beginning, but ended up losing for the sum of 146 during their 20-overs. Mitchell Marsh (40) along with Ayush Badoni (38) were the only two players to show some resistance. The tactical battle LSG has to face in the present and their power players like Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant are unable to get their groove together.
RCB vs LSG Match Summary Table
I've put together the key figures from this game in order to provide you with a clear overview of the superiority that the hosts showed.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Match | IPL 2026, Match 23 |
| Winner | Royal Challengers Bengaluru (by 5 wickets) |
| Toss | RCB (Chose to Bowl) |
| LSG Total | 146/10 (20.0 Overs) |
| RCB Total | 149/5 (15.1 Overs) |
| Player of the Match | Josh Hazlewood (1/20 in 4 innings) |
| Top Scorer | Virat Kohli (49 off 34 balls) |
The Chase: Virat Kohli Anchors the Victory
My personal favorite for the fans was to see Virat Kohli returned on top level. Despite suffering from a slight knee injury, and having been "under the weather" for several days the Indian captain was the impact Player and led the chase by a flawless 49. We all know that Kohli during a chase is the most dependable appearance on the cricket field.
There is no doubt the fact that the RCB was not only looking to be successful, they also wanted to be able to win early in order to increase the Net Run Ratio. Thanks to quick-fire performances by Jitesh Sharma (23) and Rajat Patidar (27) They swept away the goal in only 15.1 minutes. The aggressiveness of their approach will make the side of the RCB team look like real defense of their title.
Professional Insight: LSG's Injury Concerns
Professionally from a professional perspective, I'm concerned about Lucknow Super Giants. The team not only fell short of winning the match however, the captain Rishabh Pant was also reported to have suffered an injury of a serious nature in the game, with Nicholas Pooran taking his place as captain during the game.
It seems to me I believe that LSG must return to the drawing board before they play their next match. The way they bat is not as strong with no fully well-fit Pant and the speed the pace of Mayank Yadav and Mayank Yadav, the LSG may struggle to remain at the top portion of the league table. The night currently will be a win for Bengaluru and Bengaluru who are at the top of the IPL 2026 standings, with a score of 8 points in 5 matches.
