R. Rajkumar produced a sensational display of power-hitting to guide Tamil Nadu to a thrilling five-wicket victory over Uttarakhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite Group-D third-round clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium B-Ground on Sunday. The 32-year-old, playing only his third T20 match in his debut season for Tamil Nadu, struck an unbeaten 93 from just 43 balls, including six crisp fours and a staggering eight towering sixes — the most by any Tamil Nadu batter in a single innings.
Promoted to No. 5, Rajkumar was unleashed with full authority. He attacked both pacers and spinners with equal audacity, effortlessly clearing boundaries while maintaining a surgical precision in timing. Each stroke was a statement; each six seemed to defy physics. Scouts from prominent IPL franchises, including Gujarat Titans assistant coach Parthiv Patel and Mumbai Indians talent scout John Wright, were in attendance, witnessing what could be a breakthrough performance.
Rajkumar’s innings was a catalogue of spectacular hits: two straight fours, an extra-cover six, and a cover-drive four in the same over off leg-spinner Himanshu Bisht; a six over cover, a reverse-hit four, and a straight six off left-arm spinner Jagadeesha Suchith. Against left-arm spinner Yuvraj Choudhary, he cleared the sightscreen and extra-cover for two more sixes. He continued to dominate pacers Akash Madhwal and Agnivesh Ayachi with back-to-back long-off sixes and straight boundaries.
Earlier in the day, Jharkhand skipper Ishan Kishan was equally impressive, scoring an unbeaten 113 off 50 balls to chase down 183 against Tripura, demonstrating the high-scoring nature and competitiveness of this tournament. Other matches were equally nail-biting, with Rajasthan edging home by just one run and Karnataka requiring last-ball heroics to chase 202.
Rajkumar’s innings not only secured victory but also marked him as a player capable of turning matches single-handedly, combining audacity, power, and impeccable timing in a T20 masterclass.
