Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma once called Romario Shepherd “a rhino in a human body” — and now, that old video is going viral again.
This happened after Shepherd’s explosive 14-ball 53-run knock against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. His innings helped RCB in a crucial moment and matched the record for the second-fastest fifty in IPL history — joining KL Rahul (2018) and Pat Cummins (2022), who also scored fifties in 14 balls. The fastest remains with Yashasvi Jaiswal, who hit a 13-ball fifty.
In the old video shared by RCB, Jitesh Sharma had said, “Rhino ki power insaan ke shareer mein” (rhino’s power in a human body). He was amazed by Shepherd’s raw strength.
Read More: IPL 2025: Romario Shepherd Hits 2nd Fastest Fifty in IPL History, Guides RCB to 213 Runs Against CSK
Romario Shepherd loved the nickname and said, “I guess I am the rhino in the team. I accept it proudly!” In a chat with iplt20.com, he added, “I just tried to hit the ball hard and flat. I didn’t have time to read the pitch much, but I had watched from the dugout and our mentor gave some useful tips.”
Shepherd especially planned for CSK bowler Matheesha Pathirana, saying, “I knew how tough his yorkers and slow balls can be.”
Are you not entertained? 🤩
Romario Shepherd thrilled the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium with a ‘blink and you miss’ knock 🫡🔥
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He also thanked RCB captain Rajat Patidar and teammate Tim David for backing him. “They told me I could go for the big shots. Rajat gave me confidence and made me feel like I’m the guy for the job,” Shepherd shared.
He revealed the secret behind his power-hitting: “It’s my base and swing. Timmy told me to hold my shape and just swing through the ball.”
Finally, Shepherd praised mentor Dinesh Karthik (DK), saying, “After a few poor games, DK trained us with focused drills and it really helped.”
He finished by saying, “I wasn’t chasing a score. I just focused on each ball, trying to hit boundaries. Timmy told me to stay calm and just go for it — and I did.”
