Chennai Super Kings faced a tough start in their IPL 2026 journey as they were outplayed by Rajasthan Royals in their first match held in Guwahati. Batting first, CSK could only put together 127 runs, marking one of their lowest totals ever in the IPL. The Royals quickly chased it down in just 12.1 overs.
Key players like captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and new recruit Sanju Samson struggled to make an impact. The Super Kings looked like they might be dismissed for under 100 runs until Jamie Overton came in. He scored a steady 43 runs, forming a crucial last-wicket partnership of 33 runs with Anshul Kamboj, which helped CSK avoid an embarrassing total.
On the other side, Rajasthan’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi shone with the bat, smashing a quickfire 50 off just 15 balls, marking a fantastic start for his team this season.
There were high hopes for CSK’s revamped roster, especially since they were missing experienced players like MS Dhoni and Dewald Brevis. With Samson recently celebrating a Player of the Tournament award in the T20 World Cup, fans expected a strong performance from the five-time champions.
Unfortunately for CSK, the conditions worked against them. The rain-soaked pitch aided Rajasthan’s bowlers, Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, who effectively used the swing during the powerplay.
CSK’s top order didn’t perform well, with Samson getting out in the second over and Gaikwad struggling against Archer’s bowling. Burger also dismissed Ayush Mhatre, the U19 World Cup-winning captain, for a duck. Matt Short, making his debut, couldn’t survive the initial onslaught either.
The innings fell apart when Sarfaraz Khan’s brief resistance came to an end against Ravindra Jadeja, who took two wickets in his first over. Jadeja, having recently switched from CSK to the Royals, effectively outmaneuvered his former teammates.
With CSK reeling at 57 for 6, they couldn’t recover. Even though debutant Kartik Sharma added some grit with 18 runs and Overton delivered his 43, the total was still below what was needed. The Royals’ bowlers controlled the game, with Sooryavanshi and others proving too strong for CSK.
Fans were understandably disappointed after the match. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, however, remained optimistic, emphasizing that the young players will learn from this defeat. “We need to move on; we’ve got another game in just three days. It’s vital everyone stays positive. Yes, some of our young players were a bit nervous, but it’s a good chance for them to learn,” he said after the loss.
Looking ahead, CSK will next face Punjab Kings on Friday and then travel to Bengaluru for a match against the Royal Challengers. The team is hoping for the return of Dewald Brevis from injury as they gear up for important games, especially with MS Dhoni sidelined for the first two weeks of the tournament.
