[Watch] Vijay Shankar shows incredible reflexes to complete acrobatic catch of Riyan Parag during RR vs GT IPL 2024 match
Gujarat Titans (GT) all-rounder Vijay Shankar took a sensational catch to dismiss Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Riyan Parag in Match 24 of IPL 2024 in Jaipur on Wednesday.
Riyan had already scored 76 off 47 balls and looked to take the full toll of the death overs in a bid to take RR beyond the 200-run mark. A slower delivery from Mohit Sharma away from the right-hander's hitting arc made it difficult for the right-hander to time it to perfection.
Riyan Parag was still able to get decent contact as he flat-batted it towards long off. While Vijay Shankar grabbed the travelling ball initially, he had to maintain his balance just inside the boundary rope. After realizing that he would lose his balance, Shankar tossed the ball in the air, went over the boundary, came back in, and completed a brilliant catch.
Here's the video of the catch:
With nine balls left in the innings and the form Parag was in, one couldn't have ruled out the youngster getting to his maiden IPL hundred. His special innings needed something special like Shankar's catch to come to an end.
Riyan Parag continues reaching new heights in breakout IPL 2024 season
It wasn't an easy situation for Riyan Parag to come out and bat in as the Royals had lost both their openers and had to consolidate on Wednesday. However, after initially absorbing some pressure alongside skipper Sanju Samson, both the batters took the counter-attacking route.
Parag finally seems to be performing at a level that his potential promised and is simply loving the No.4 role at RR. In five matches this season, the youngster has already scored 261 runs at an incredible average of 87 and a strike rate of 158.18. The 22-year-old is on the second spot in the Orange Cap list, behind Virat Kohli (316 runs).