In an intense showdown at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during the 42nd match of IPL 2025, Bhuvneshwar Kumar reminded fans of a young Sachin-Waqar moment from 1989. Facing 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi , Bhuvneshwar first unsettled the teenager with a vicious short ball, then sent his stumps cartwheeling just an over later.

The moment: Bouncer that drew parallels with history

During the 4th over of Rajasthan Royals’ chase, Bhuvneshwar bowled a sharp short delivery that climbed on the youngster:

Bhuvneshwar to Vaibhav Suryavanshi, no run - Dug short into the pitch, Suryavanshi attempted a pull, only to be beaten by bounce. He looked visibly surprised and gestured it was too high.

Much like Waqar Younis' fiery bouncer to a 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar during the Karachi Test in 1989 - which bloodied the debutant's nose but didn't break his spirit - Bhuvneshwar's bouncer was a statement delivery.

Next over: Bhuvi finishes the job

The battle didn't last long. In the very next over, Bhuvneshwar returned with vengeance:

Bhuvneshwar to Vaibhav Suryavanshi, out Bowled!!
The teenager tried to cut, but the ball skidded through, knocking over his stumps.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi b Bhuvneshwar 16(12), 2 sixes

Flashback: Sachin vs Waqar Younis, 1989

At just 16, Sachin Tendulkar was hit flush on the nose by a Waqar Younis bouncer in Karachi.

Bhuvneshwar's spell against Vaibhav felt like a modern-day echo of that encounter - a senior pacer testing a prodigy, only this time, with a wicket to his name.

Current match update: RCB vs RR, 42nd match, IPL 2025

• RCB posted 205/5 in 20 overs, powered by fifties from Virat Kohli (70 off 42) and Devdutt Padikkal (50 off 27).
• Rajasthan Royals, in reply, are 52/1 in 4.2 overs, needing 154 more runs in 94 balls.
• Yashasvi Jaiswal is batting on 35 off 14 balls (SR: 250), while Nitish Rana is yet to get off the mark.

Bhuvneshwar's early breakthrough may just tilt the game in RCB's favour.

Why this matters

Moments like these define IPL - where rising stars like Vaibhav Suryavanshi are tested by veterans like Bhuvneshwar Kumar. It’s a reminder that cricket is not just about power hits and sixes, but also about raw skill, mental toughness, and iconic one-on-one duels.