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When Kevin Pietersen talks highly of someone’s batting abilities, you just believe it. On his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut, Uttar Pradesh all-rounder Vipraj Nigam perhaps played one of the best cameos ever, smashing 39 off 15 deliveries against Lucknow Super Giants on March 24 (Monday).
The right-handed batter came out to walk when the game seemed done and dusted at 113/6 after Tristan Stubbs got out for a 22-ball 34. Just a few minutes later, the Uttar Pradesh batter completely turned the game around with four, four and six against Ravi Bishnoi.
Nothing changed an over later when the right-handed batter smashed Shahbaz Ahmed for four and six. Even before LSG realised what was hitting them, the debutant was in seventh heaven, smashing 39 off 14 balls with five fours and two massive sixes, turning the game around in DC’s favour.
It was the second-most runs that any batter has scored in their first ten balls on IPL debut, with just Abhishek Sharma ahead of him in the list.
30* - Abhishek Sharma vs RCB, Delhi, 2018
29* - Vipraj Nigam vs LSG, Vizag, 2025
22* - Rachin Ravindra vs RCB, Chennai, 2024
27* - Shaun Pollock vs RCB, Mumbai, 2008
260 - Vipraj Nigam vs LSG, Vizag, 2025*
247 - Rachin Ravindra vs RCB, Chennai, 2024
246 - Suresh Raina vs PBKS, Mohali, 2008
242 - Abhishek Sharma vs RCB, Delhi, 2018
*Min 10 balls
But when it came to the strike rate, it was the best ever in the history of the competition. It bettered Chennai Super Kings’ Rachin Ravindra’s efforts on his debut when the left-hander smashed at a strike rate of 247 against RCB.