Trent Boult shrugs off hype around Vaibhav Suryavanshi before RR vs MI clash: 'I've bowled to Gayle, AB...'

Trent Boult is no stranger to facing world-class batters, but even for the seasoned New Zealand pacer, a 14-year-old opponent in a high-stakes IPL clash adds a unique twist to the script. Ahead of Mumbai Indians’ face-off against the Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Boult shared his thoughts on teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who stunned the cricketing world with a record-breaking century against the Gujarat Titans.

The left-arm quick acknowledged the excitement surrounding the youngster’s explosive arrival but maintained a composed outlook.

“(I have) bowled to some brilliant batsmen around the world, the Chris Gayles, the AB de Villiers, all the quality that come in these tournaments. I think I'll be careful not to say I'm worried about a 14-year-old,” Boult said.

“But it's going to be an exciting challenge to come up against a guy who's obviously fearless and running in hot form at the moment, so that's what it's about.”

Suryavanshi smashed a 38-ball 101, becoming the youngest ever to score a T20 century in men’s cricket. His 35-ball ton was also the second fastest in IPL history, prompting Boult to hail it as one of the standout stories of the season.

“The whole world saw that performance the other night. (It was a) quality (knock) from such a young kid. It's the beauty of this tournament, of all the players coming out and taking any opportunity with both hands and I thought he did that very nicely," said the Kiwi quick.

Boult on the clash

Boult also weighed in on the pitch conditions at the venue, backing his experience to deliver on what he expects to be a high-scoring track.

“No, I don't as a bowler,” he replied when asked if he expected another run-fest. “It's a high-scoring ground; history says that. It's a solid wicket matched by a very, very quick outfield. I've been lucky enough to experience the ground over the last three seasons so hopefully I can put that experience into good stead over the next game.”

With Mumbai Indians riding a five-match winning streak, Boult credited a collective effort and the return of Jasprit Bumrah for their resurgence. But for now, all eyes are on the teenager whose audacious strokeplay has set up one of the IPL’s most intriguing match-ups yet, with Suryavanshi not only facing Boult but also Bumrah, who is among the best pacers in modern-day cricket.