In an electrifying IPL 2026 opener, Rajasthan Royals (RR) cruised to an eight-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Guwahati, with teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivering a stunning 15-ball half-century. His explosive performance left RR captain Riyan Parag and teammate Dhruv Jurel in awe as they watched the 15-year-old dismantle the CSK attack during the powerplay.
Parag, who is leading RR full-time this season, expressed his astonishment at Sooryavanshi’s fearless batting. "What I tell him is that you're going to play 14 games, and regardless of what happens, it shouldn't bother you. What goes around in the media shouldn't bother you. He loves to bat, and I've made sure to tell the coaches that he gets as much batting as he wants. When we were sitting there till the fourth over, Dhruv and I were just in awe, thinking, 'What is happening? How is he doing this?' I’m really happy to have him on my team," Parag said during the post-match presentation.
Earlier in the game, RR made full use of the overhead conditions to bowl out CSK for just 127 after opting to field. The pitch, damp from rain, offered early assistance to the bowlers, and CSK struggled to recover from a poor start.
In reply, Sooryavanshi turned the chase into a one-sided affair with his aggressive stroke play. The left-hander took on both pace and spin with ease, striking a magnificent six off Matt Henry’s slower ball over point. He reached his half-century with back-to-back sixes off Noor Ahmad, marking the third-fastest half-century in IPL history. Sooryavanshi was also handed a lifeline when Kartik Sharma dropped him during an 18-run over, a costly mistake for CSK as the game quickly slipped away.
With Sooryavanshi dominating, Yashasvi Jaiswal played a crucial supporting role, ensuring the young star retained the strike during the powerplay. RR completed the chase in just 12.1 overs, with Jaiswal finishing unbeaten on 38 and Parag wrapping up the victory.
Sooryavanshi credited the team management, including head coach Kumar Sangakkara, for supporting his natural aggressive approach. "Our plan was to control the game during the powerplay because in a small chase, that phase is crucial. If the bowling team does well there, the game can tilt their way, but our powerplay went really well," he said. He also praised Jaiswal for his continuous encouragement and support throughout the innings.
While RR ticked all the boxes in their opening match, CSK will have plenty to reflect on after a below-par batting effort and crucial lapses in the field.
