In a thrilling IPL 2025 encounter at Guwahati, Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured their first victory of the season by defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six runs. Despite the presence of MS Dhoni, who walked in to bat in the 16th over, CSK fell short in their run chase, suffering their second consecutive loss of the season.

After being invited to bat first, Rajasthan Royals put up a competitive total of 182 runs. Though wickets fell at regular intervals, RR ensured their run rate never dropped. Skipper Sanju Samson contributed 20 runs, while Riyan Parag led the charge with a solid 37. Middle-order powerhouse Shimron Hetmyer added quick runs with aggressive strokes. CSK bowlers Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, and Ravindra Jadeja fought back in the middle overs to restrict RR from breaching the 200-run mark.

CSK’s Stuttering Chase & Dhoni’s Early Arrival

CSK’s chase got off to a rocky start as Rajasthan’s bowlers struck early. Wanindu Hasaranga dismissed Rahul Tripathi on the first ball he faced and later removed the in-form Shivam Dube, pushing CSK on the back foot. Opener Rachin Ravindra also departed for a duck in the first over. With the onus on skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad to stabilize the innings, he struggled to find adequate support from the middle order.

In a surprising move, MS Dhoni walked in earlier than expected, in the 16th over, giving CSK fans hope of another trademark ‘Thala’ finish. However, despite hitting a four and a six, the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman couldn’t steer his team to victory this time. Rajasthan’s disciplined bowling in the death overs ensured CSK fell short by six runs.

Toss & Playing XI

Toss: CSK won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Rajasthan Royals Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel (w), Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande.

Chennai Super Kings Playing XI: Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (w), Jamie Overton, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed.

CSK’s Second Loss, Rajasthan’s First Win

With this defeat, CSK has now lost two back-to-back games in IPL 2025, while Rajasthan Royals have opened their account with a crucial win. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Chennai to see if they can bounce back, while Rajasthan will aim to build on this momentum.

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