Rajasthan Royals (RR) registered their first victory of IPL 2025 in a nail-biting encounter against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), winning by just six runs. The match saw standout performances from Nitish Rana, who played a scintillating knock of 81 off 36 balls, and Wanindu Hasaranga, whose crafty wrist spin dismantled CSK’s middle order. Despite a fighting half-century from Ruturaj Gaikwad and a late flourish by MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, CSK fell short of the target.
Rana’s Explosive Batting Steals the Show
Nitish Rana was the architect of RR’s innings, delivering a powerful performance that put his team in the driver’s seat. Walking in at No. 3, he took charge after early dismissals and showcased his aggressive intent right from the start.
A key battle in the match was Rana vs R Ashwin. Prior to this game, Rana had an exceptional record against Ashwin in the IPL, scoring 108 runs off 58 balls without being dismissed. He continued this dominance, smashing 6, 6, and 4 in Ashwin’s opening over before eventually getting stumped off a clever delivery. By then, Rana had extended his tally against Ashwin to 171 runs, cementing his status as a key player against top spinners.
His innings provided Rajasthan with a flying start, ensuring they capitalized on the powerplay despite low scores from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson. By the end of six overs, RR had raced to 81 runs, with 58 of those coming from Rana’s bat. His fearless stroke play laid a strong foundation, but CSK’s bowlers clawed back in the middle overs.
CSK Pulls Back Momentum with Tight Bowling
Chennai Super Kings’ bowlers showed resilience, restricting RR to 182 despite their explosive start. Noor Ahmad, the left-arm wrist spinner, played a crucial role by dismissing Samson for 20 and later removing Dhruv Jurel for just three. His impressive spell put CSK back in contention and showcased his ability to perform under pressure.
Ravindra Jadeja, though bowling only two overs, played a vital role by not conceding a single boundary. Meanwhile, Matheesha Pathirana and Khaleel Ahmed took charge in the death overs, ensuring RR didn’t breach the 190-run mark, a total they were well on course for when Rana was batting.
Shimron Hetmyer’s struggles continued, as he was dropped once but failed to capitalize, scoring just 19 before miscuing a shot to Ashwin. The last three overs of RR’s innings yielded only 17 runs, highlighting CSK’s excellent execution in the death overs.
CSK’s Struggles in the Chase
Chasing 183, CSK got off to a rocky start. Jofra Archer struck in the first over with a wicket-maiden, removing Rachin Ravindra for a duck with a fiery 145kph delivery. Tushar Deshpande added to CSK’s woes by hitting Ruturaj Gaikwad’s unprotected elbow, slowing his scoring rate early on.
Rahul Tripathi found it difficult to rotate strike and fell attempting an ill-advised shot. However, Gaikwad showed composure, guiding CSK’s innings through the powerplay with well-timed strokes. His three boundaries in the sixth over helped CSK recover to 42/1 after initially struggling at 5/1 in three overs.
Hasaranga Spins a Web Around CSK’s Middle Order
RR’s trump card, Wanindu Hasaranga, was introduced into the attack and made an immediate impact. He dismissed Tripathi with his very first ball and then outfoxed Shivam Dube with a deceptive wrong’un, leading to a spectacular one-handed catch by Riyan Parag at cover.
Vijay Shankar, brought in as an Impact Player, struggled against Hasaranga’s variations. He misread a wrong’un and barely survived before eventually being bowled for 9. Hasaranga’s spell of 4/35 exposed CSK’s fragile middle order, making their chase significantly harder.
Gaikwad’s Grit and a Late Surge by Dhoni and Jadeja
Despite the flurry of wickets, Gaikwad remained calm and continued his anchor role. He reached his second half-century of IPL 2025 in 37 balls, using a mix of precision and controlled aggression. However, with partners falling around him, the pressure mounted.
When Hasaranga deceived him with a wide leg-break that he could only drag to long-on, CSK found themselves needing 54 off 25 balls. The equation seemed daunting, but Dhoni and Jadeja provided a late glimmer of hope.
In the 18th over, bowled by Maheesh Theekshana, CSK managed only a handful of singles, leaving them with 39 to get off 12 balls. Dhoni, known for his finishing prowess, began the penultimate over with a ramped four followed by a powerful six off Deshpande. The over yielded 19 runs, setting up a dramatic finale.
Sandeep Sharma Holds His Nerve in a Tense Final Over
With 19 needed off the last over, RR surprisingly entrusted the responsibility to Sandeep Sharma instead of Archer. Sharma immediately repaid the faith by dismissing Dhoni for 16 with his first legal delivery, a low full toss that was mistimed to the deep.
Jadeja tried to take the game deep, staying unbeaten on 32 off 22 balls, but with wickets tumbling and limited support from the other end, CSK fell short by six runs. Sharma’s composure in the final over sealed a much-needed victory for RR.
Conclusion
Rajasthan Royals’ victory was a testament to their balanced performance, with Rana’s batting heroics and Hasaranga’s brilliant spell playing pivotal roles. CSK, on the other hand, struggled with their middle order and left their acceleration too late. With this loss, CSK now faces the challenge of addressing their batting concerns as the tournament progresses, while RR will look to build on this hard-fought win.
