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 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 brink of being bowled out for under 100 until all-rounder Jamie Overton, arriving at number eight, steadied the innings with a composed 43. He shared a 33-run partnership with tail-ender Anshul Kamboj for the last wicket, helping CSK avoid an embarrassing finish.
In response, Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dismantled the CSK bowling attack. with a rapid 50 off 15 balls. His innings, coming shortly after his 15th birthday, set the tone for a commanding chase and a strong start to the Royals’ season.
Expectations were high for CSK’s revamped lineup despite the absence of injured veterans MS Dhoni and Dewald Brevis. With Samson entering the tournament fresh off a Player of the Tournament award at the recent T20 World Cup, many anticipated a strong batting performance from the five-time champions.
However, the conditions worked against the Super Kings. A pitch dampened by pre-match rain offered movement to Rajasthan’s new-ball bowlers Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, who exploited swing effectively during the powerplay.
CSK’s top order faltered early. Samson fell in the second over, followed by Gaikwad, who struggled to find form before being dismissed by Archer. Burger then removed Ayush Mhatre, the India U19 World Cup-winning captain, for a duck with a sharp bouncer. Debutant Matt Short was also dismissed in the powerplay by Sandeep Sharma.
The Super Kings’ innings collapsed further as Sarfaraz Khan’s brief resistance ended against Ravindra Jadeja, who took two wickets in his first over for Rajasthan. Jadeja, traded from CSK to the Royals this season, 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 the moist surface, with Sooryavanshi exploiting the conditions to leave the Super Kings without answers. It was a difficult opening match for the injury-hit CSK, and their fans were left disappointed by the performance of the five-time champions.
Here’s how fans reacted to CSK’s disappointing show on Monday in Guwahati.
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, however, played down the impact of the defeat, saying the young group will learn from the loss and improve in the coming days.
“You just put it behind you and move on. We’ve got another game in three days. It’s important to make sure everyone is in a good headspace. One positive is that we have a lot of youngsters in the group. It was probably a nervy start for many of them, but it’s good to get a game under our belt and even better to start with a few mistakes. Hopefully, it will only lead to improvement from here,” Ruturaj said after the eight-wicket defeat.
CSK will host Punjab Kings on Friday, April 3, before travelling to Bengaluru for a marquee clash against 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 Dewald Brevis returns from injury in time for the crucial weekend fixtures.
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