In a nail-biting encounter at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Rajasthan Royals (RR) edged out Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by a mere six runs. This match marked a crucial moment for both teams, with RR seeking their first victory of the IPL 2025 season and CSK aiming to bounce back after a disappointing performance against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Summary of the match
The match started with CSK winning the toss and opting to bowl first. Rajasthan posted a competitive total of 182 runs for the loss of nine wickets, thanks largely to a scintillating knock from Nitish Rana, who scored 81 runs off just 36 balls. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, RR managed to set a challenging target, with contribution from stand-in skipper Riyan Parag (37 off 28) as well.
In response, CSK struggled to maintain momentum throughout their innings. While Rachin Ravindra departed for a duck, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad kept his team in the run-chase. CSK finished their innings at 176 for six, falling short by just six runs. The late heroics from Ravindra Jadeja, who scored an unbeaten 32 off 22 balls, were not enough to secure victory for the Super Kings.
Post-match, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming addressed the media and reflected on the team’s performance. He highlighted several key factors that contributed to their loss against RR.
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Reason behind CSK’s defeat
Fleming reckoned that CSK’s defeat in Sunday game was due to their struggle in the powerplay and admitted that they lost the initiative in those six overs.
While the Royals added 79 run for the loss of just one wicket in their first six overs, CSK could only manage 42 runs and lost the important wicket of Rachin Ravindra. Chasing a competitive target of 183, CSK were reduced to 5/1 in the first three overs, courtesy a fiery short-ball attack by Jofra Archer and Tushar Deshpande.
“If you analyse the game, it’s probably the two powerplays (which made the difference),” Fleming said in the post-match interview.
“Our powerplay with the ball went for the best part of 80 runs and we were only able to manage mid 40s or early 40s. That’s on the scoreboard the big difference, and we were also sloppy in the field compared to Rajasthan who were outstanding.”
