The third day of the Indian Premier League 2026 witnessed a sensational start for Rajasthan Royals as teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi lived up to his growing reputation with a blistering half-century to record a dominant eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on Monday.
All eyes were on the 15-year-old prodigy and he did not disappoint. Sooryavanshi scored an impressive 52 off just 17 balls, combined with four boundaries and five towering sixes, as RR chased a modest target of 128 with a remarkable 7.5 overs to spare.
The left-hander, who had already captured global attention with his record-breaking debut season last year, survived an initial scare after losing the first ball he faced. However, he quickly settled in and launched a fierce counter-attack, reaching fifty in just 15 deliveries.
Reflecting on his approach, Sooryavanshi said he balances attacking with caution, but emphasized the importance of the power play. “I think about defense, but today our plan was to control the game on the power play because in a small chase, that phase is crucial,” he said.
His fearless batting included six consecutive sixes against Noor Ahmad, sending the home crowd into a frenzy before he finally fell to a sharp catch in the deep.
The bowlers achieved a resounding victory
Earlier, RR’s decision to bowl first paid off as his attack dismantled CSK’s batting line-up. Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger and Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets each to bowl out Chennai for 127 in 19.4 overs.
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and debutant Sanju Samson fell cheaply, leaving the five-time champions in trouble. A late effort from Jamie Overton (43 off 36 balls) helped bring the total to a somewhat respectable score.
Burger, who was 2 for 26, was named Player of the Match, while Archer impressed with a fine 2 for 19.
Gaikwad admitted it was a shaky start for his team. “There are a lot of young people in the group, so it will probably be a nervous start for everyone. It’s good to have a game behind us, but we need to improve quickly,” he said. CSK will also be without veteran MS Dhoni, who continues to recover from a calf strain.
IPL action moves to Mullanpur
With RR off to a good start and CSK looking for answers, attention now turns to the action on Day 4. Punjab Kings will take on Gujarat Titans at Mullanpur in New Chandigarh later today as the tournament gathers momentum.