Rajasthan Royals (RR) delivered a commanding all-round performance to outclass Chennai Super Kings (CSK), winning by eight wickets to win their TATA IPL 2026 season opener in Guwahati.

Winning the toss and opting to bowl first, RR’s overseas pace duo — Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger — made an immediate impact. The pair set the tone early, dismantling CSK’s top order with precision and pace. Burger struck in his very first over, beating Sanju Samson’s bat swing to crash into the off stump, sending him back for 6 off seven deliveries.

In the following over, Archer compounded CSK’s troubles by removing Ruturaj Gaikwad. Attempting to break free, Gaikwad charged down the track but missed the ball entirely, only to see his stumps shattered. At 19/2 in three overs, CSK were already on the back foot.

𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 🎶

Nandre Burger 🤝 Jofra Archer #RR fans, how was that for a start? 😉

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Burger returned to inflict further damage, striking on the very next ball of his second over as Ayush Mhatre gloved a sharp bouncer behind. Reduced to 19/3 in 3.1 overs, CSK were forced into an early tactical move, bringing in the Impact Player, Sarfaraz Khan.

However, the slide continued. Matt Short’s dismissal meant CSK crawled to 41/4 at the end of the powerplay. With Sarfaraz also departing in the eighth over, CSK found themselves reeling at 51/5.

Shivam Dube briefly threatened a counterattack with a towering six but was dismissed soon after, as Ravindra Jadeja — turning out for RR after 17 seasons — made an immediate impact. Jadeja struck twice in his opening over, removing both Sarfaraz and Dube to further dent CSK’s hopes.

A special return in Pink for Ravindra Jadeja 🩷

🎥 Two quick wickets in his very first over back for the Royals 🔥

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From there on, it was a lone battle from Jamie Overton. Walking in at number eight, Overton showed resilience and composure, top-scoring with 43 off 36 balls. His innings helped CSK limp to 127, before he was run out in the final over.

RR’s bowling effort was a collective showcase, with all six bowlers chipping in with wickets. Burger (2/26), Archer (2/19) and Jadeja (2/18) led the charge, while debutant Brijesh Sharma impressed with figures of 1/17.

In response, RR made light work of the chase with a breathtaking start. The opening pair came out firing, racing to 74/0 in the powerplay and effectively sealing the contest inside the first six overs.

The highlight of the innings was a sensational knock from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who produced a stunning display of fearless hitting. He smashed 52 off just 17 balls, with four boundaries and five sixes, bringing up his half-century in just 15 deliveries. His milestone came in style, with back-to-back sixes off Noor Ahmad in the sixth over.

Flair on display 🔥

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the house 😎

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Sooryavanshi’s remarkable innings ended immediately after the powerplay, as he was dismissed off the first ball of the seventh over, finding extra cover where Sarfaraz Khan held onto a sharp catch.

With the game already in control, Yashasvi Jaiswal anchored the chase with an unbeaten 38 off 36 balls. He found support from Dhruv Jurel (18 off 9) and Riyan Parag (14* off 11) as RR cruised to victory without any further hiccups.

Anshul Kamboj was the lone bright spot for CSK with the ball, picking up 2/27 in his three overs.

Nandre Burger was named Player of the Match for his incisive spell upfront, setting up a dominant win for Rajasthan Royals.

The full scorecard and match details can be found here.