Sanjay Bangar Heaps Praise On Vipraj Nigam’s All-Round Performance Against KKR: 'Something Special About This Youngster'

IPL 2025: Delhi Capitals (DC) suffered a 14-run defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 48th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, on Tuesday, April 29th.

Sunil Narine was named the 'Player of the Match' following his all-round performance for the Knights against the Delhi Capitals. Narine played a 27-run knock from 16 balls, at a strike rate of 168.75. He also led the KKR bowling attack with his three-wicket haul in his four-over spell.

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It was a crucial win for the defending champions. KKR have clinched four wins and suffered five defeats in their 10 matches at the IPL 2025. The Knights hold seventh place with nine points and have a net run rate of +0.271. In order to qualify for the IPL 2025 Playoffs, KKR need to win their rest four matches.

DC Stand In Fourth Place On IPL 2025 Standings

On the other hand, Delhi Capitals stand in the fourth place on the IPL 2025 standings with 12 points and have a net run rate of +0.362. After having a dominating start to the 18th season of the cash-rich tournament, the Capitals lack consistency now. In their previous five fixtures, DC conceded three defeats and won just two matches.

Even though Delhi Capitals conceded a defeat against KKR, DC youngster Vipraj Nigam's all-round performance has caught everyone's notice. The 20-year-old bagged two wickets in his four-over spell and gave 41 runs. During the run chase, Nigam scored 38 runs from 19 balls at a strike rate of 200.00. He hammered 5 fours and 2 sixes during his time on the crease.

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While speaking on JioHotstar, former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) coach Sanjay Bangar said that there's something special about Vipraj Nigam. The former cricketer also showered praise on the youngster for his shot selection.

“There’s something special about this youngster. He’s contributing across all three departments of the game. It’s not just his bowling — his batting presence and shot selection, especially through the off-side, really stand out. That tells you he understands the game situation well. Hitting through the offside in the last four overs is one of the toughest tasks, and he does it with ease. Plus, he’s a gun fielder. For me, he’s one of the finds of the tournament and should definitely be on the radar of franchises in the coming years,” Sanjay Bangar said on JioHotstar.

Vipraj Nigam Numbers In IPL

Vipraj Nigam made his IPL debut in the 2025 edition. He has played 10 IPL matches, scoring 104 runs at a strike rate of 203.92, and has an average of 20.80. With the ball, he has picked up nine wickets at an economy rate of 9.48. In the upcoming match, Delhi Capitals will lock horns against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Monday, May 5th.