Sooryavanshi smashed Rabada for a couple of sixes but the GT pacer bagged the prized scalps of Jaiswal and Hetmyer.
Shubman Gill (84 off 44) and Sai Sudharsan (55 off 36) powered GT to a massive 229/4, before Rashid Khan’s 4/33 bowled RR out for 152 in 16.3 overs.
Speaking after the game, GT pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada emphasized that the bowling group's success comes from everyone clearly understanding and performing their assigned roles.
“I guess everyone’s just determined (talking about the bowling group). I’m determined myself. And everyone’s given a role. So it’s really simple, just do or try to perform your role to the best of your ability. It’s as simple as that,” Rabada said at the post-match presentation.
Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (36 off 16) shone for the Royals, smashing Rabada for a couple of sixes in the second over of the chase to win their individual duel.
However, Rabada had the last laugh in the overall contest, returning with figures of 2 for 33 in his three overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shimron Hetmyer were his victims.
Talking about his attitude while bowling to Sooryavanshi, Rabada remarked: “I guess what’s worked for 11 years will continue to work, right? So I guess it’s just hedging your bets and hoping that it comes off. But there’s a whole lot of hard work that’s done behind the scenes. And then a bit of analysis to look at batter’s weaknesses. So there is that type of nuance in the game. But otherwise, it’s just the same old, same old.”
While his body feels good, Rabada acknowledged that the backend of the IPL is when mental and physical fatigue sets in, requiring professional management to stay fresh.
“Yeah, body feels good. This is where the fatigue starts to set in, the mental fatigue too. So it’s just about trying to stay on top of that, make sure that you’re as fresh as possible. So that’s where the professional side of the game is needed a lot more, especially in the back end. But my body feels good and hopefully I can just continue what I’ve been doing,” he said.
Kagiso Rabada is limiting his focus on developing new slower balls, believing that over-practicing them distracts from his primary strengths, opting to use them only when necessary.
“Not really (do you keep working on a lot of slower balls?). I feel like the more I try and work on too many slower balls, the more I neglect what I should be working on. But I haven’t bowled too many slower balls this season. But when they’re needed, then I’ll bowl them,” he concluded.