'They bowled brilliant lengths': Gaikwad reflects on loss vs RR
What's the story
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has credited the Rajasthan Royals's bowling attack for their eight-wicket defeat in both team's IPL 2026 opener. The match, held at Baraspara Stadium in Guwahati, saw CSK bowled out for a mere 127 runs in 19.4 overs. Jamie Overton was the only CSK batsman to put up a fight with his score of 43 runs off 36 balls. RR chased down the total in just 12.1 overs.
Bowling prowess
Bowlers did a fantastic job: Gaikwad
The Royals bowlers, led by Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, wreaked havoc on the CSK batting order. Archer took two wickets for just 19 runs in his four overs, while Burger also picked up two wickets but at a slightly higher economy rate of 6.5 runs per over. Ravindra Jadeja was another key contributor with the ball for RR, taking two wickets for just 18 runs in three overs.
Match analysis
Bowlers did a fantastic job: Gaikwad
Speaking after the match, Gaikwad said, "I felt the conditions at the start were really tough, especially when facing Jofra and Burger. They bowled brilliant lengths and even after that, to a medium-pacer it was slightly tough." He also noted that even spinners were getting some assistance from these challenging conditions.
Future focus
We should have been better in batting: Gaikwad
Despite the defeat, Gaikwad, who was dismissed for six, remained optimistic about his team's future performances. "We should have been better in batting, we should have taken the game deep," he said. He also stressed on the importance of staying positive and moving on from this match as they have another game coming up in three days. "You just put it behind and move on," he added.
Chase success
RR chase down modest target with ease
The Rajasthan Royals chased down the modest target of 128 runs in just 12.1 overs, thanks to a blistering knock by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He scored a quickfire 52 off just 17 balls, marking the third-fastest 50 in IPL history. The Royals reached their target with eight wickets in hand and 47 balls to spare on a day returning RR star Ravindra Jadeja tormented his former side with two wickets in the middle overs.