Kamal Ghorui
Rajasthan Royals announced their arrival in IPL 2026 with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings, powered by a breathtaking innings from teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The Royals’ bowlers set the tone early, restricting CSK to a modest 127 on a pitch that had seen limited play due to rain. CSK’s batting struggled from the outset, with the home side failing to build any momentum. Royals captain Riyan Parag’s bowlers exploited the conditions perfectly, picking wickets at regular intervals to keep CSK under pressure. Ravindra Jadeja, returning to the Royals, struck twice in his opening over, signalling a successful comeback. Sooryavanshi, 15, displayed his rare talent in full flight, racing to a 15-ball fifty, including a spectacular six over point off New Zealand pacer Matt Henry and a couple of towering sixes off spinner Noor Ahmad. Dropped by Kartik Sharma in one punishing over, he made CSK pay immediately, turning the contest decisively in Rajasthan’s favour. His innings helped the Royals reach 74 in the powerplay, effectively sealing the game. Opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal (38* off 36) played a measured role, letting Sooryavanshi dominate, while Parag (14* off 11) joined later to finish the chase in 12.1 overs with ease. CSK’s marquee players struggled. Sanju Samson, fresh from India’s T20 World Cup triumph, was trapped by Nandre Burger trying to go over mid-wicket, while skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad fell attempting a lofted stroke off Jofra Archer. Jamie Overton provided some resistance with 43 off 36 but could not stem the collapse. The Royals’ pace attack, led by Nandre Burger and Archer, complemented Jadeja’s spin perfectly. Brijesh Sharma claimed the wicket of debutant Kartik Sharma, while Archer, Burger, and Jadeja finished with two wickets apiece. Both teams, who had swapped stars Jadeja and Samson ahead of the season, began their campaigns in contrasting fashion—Royals with a statement win, CSK with much to rethink after a difficult start.
