New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad expressed his disappointment as the team lost their second game in succession, to Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday. On the contrary, it was the first win of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for the Royals. Gaikwad blamed their poor starts and fielding lapses as key reasons behind their narrow six-run defeat.
Nitish Rana’s heroics with the bat (36-ball 81), combined with Wanindu Hasaranga’s four-wicket haul, pushed Rajasthan to a hard-fought win in their second home of the IPL. CSK were to chase 183 but lost their opener, Rachin Ravindra, for a duck while Rahul Tripathi departed after the power play with the team finishing at 176/6. CSK has notably lost their last game at home to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
“Unfortunately, we have not been getting the good starts but once we get that things will be different,” Gaikwad admitted at the post-match presentation. “We also conceded 8-10 extra runs through misfields, and that’s something we need to improve.” The youngster anchored the innings with a valiant 63, but with wickets falling at crucial points, CSK couldn’t cross the line.
Riyan Parag speaks
Riyan Parag, the stand-in skipper of RR who led in his hometown on Sunday, was relieved to end the team’s Guwahati leg with a win. While at the post-match presentation, he admitted that his team was 20 runs short as they were going well in the middle overs but lost a couple of quick wickets. “We’ve had two tough games – one where we conceded 280 and another where we couldn’t defend 180. This win was much needed,” Parag added.
Unlike CSK, RR’s fielding efforts were nothing short of brilliant on the field with Parag taking a stunner to dismiss Shivam Dube for 18, while Shimron Hetmyer plucked MS Dhoni and halted his late blitz for 16 when needed the most. “Fielding makes up for the 20 runs that we were short. We have been working with Dishant Yagnik, our fielding coach. So it shows,” Parag said.
CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted the batting woes of his side due to which the team lost their second successive game, at the hands of RR in Guwahati on Sunday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
