Chennai Super Kings endured a disappointing start to their IPL 2026 campaign as Rajasthan Royals dominated their opening match in Guwahati. Sent in to bat, CSK managed a modest total of 127, their eighth lowest total in IPL history, before the Royals completed the chase in just 12.1 overs. RR vs CSK, IPL 2026: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
None of the key batsmen, including captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and new signing Sanju Samson, made an impact. The Super Kings were on the verge of being bowled out below 100 until all-rounder Jamie Overton, who arrived at number eight, leveled the innings with a composed 43. He shared a partnership with tail-ender Anshul Kamboj for the last wicket, which helped CSK avoid an ignominious finish.
Read the full article
as an answer Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dissected CSK’s bowling attack. with a quick 50 off 15 balls. His innings, which came shortly after his 15th birthday, set the tone for an impressive chase and a strong start to the Royals’ season.
Expectations were high for CSK’s overhauled line-up despite the absence of injured veterans MS Dhoni and Dewald Brevis. With Samson coming into the tournament fresh off winning the Player of the Tournament award at the recent T20 World Cup, many expected a strong batting performance from the five-time champions.
However, the conditions worked against the Super Kings. A pitch soaked with pre-match rain offered movement to Rajasthan’s new bowlers Jofra Archer and Nandra Burger, who used their swing effectively during the power over.
CSK’s top order soon faltered. Samson fell in the second over, followed by Gaikwad, who struggled to find form before being dismissed by Archer. Burger then dismissed Ayush Mhatre, India’s Under-19 World Cup captain, for a duck with a sharp bouncer. Debutant Matt Short was also dismissed in the over by Sandeep Sharma.
The Super Kings’ innings collapsed further as Sarfaraz Khan’s brief resistance came to an end against Ravindra Jadeja, who claimed two wickets in his first match for Rajasthan. Traded from CSK to Royals this season, Jadeja outwitted his former teammates, including spin-hitter Shivam Dube.
From 57 for 6 in the eighth over, CSK’s innings never recovered. Despite contributions from debutant Kartik Sharma, who scored a gritty 18 and Overton’s 43, the total remained below par. CSK’s bowling attack lacked the penetration shown by Rajasthan’s pacers on a wet surface, with Sooryavanshi taking advantage of the conditions to leave the Super Kings unanswered. It was a difficult opening match for the injured ČSK and its fans were disappointed with the performance of the five-time champions.
Here’s how fans reacted to CSK’s disappointing show in Guwahati on Monday. Screengrab by X
But captain Ruturaj Gaikwad downplayed the impact of the defeat and said the young group would learn from the loss and improve in the coming days.
“You just put it behind you and move on. We have another game in three days. It’s important to make sure everyone has a good space. The positive thing is that we have a lot of youngsters in the group. It was probably a nervous start for a lot of them, but it’s good to get the game under your belt and even better to start with a few mistakes. Hopefully it will only improve from here on out,” Ruturajet said.
CSK will host Punjab Kings on Friday, April 3 before traveling to Bengaluru to face defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday, April 5. With MS Dhoni ruled out for the first two weeks of the IPL, CSK will be hoping that Dewald Brevis returns from injury in time for the crucial weekend matches.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
30 March 2026 23:54 IST
