New Delhi: This was the first match of IPL 2026. Rajasthan Royalsand Vibhu Suryavanshi made it special by helping his team register a resounding win against the five-time champions. Chennai Super Kings The 15-year-old batting sensation produced a breathtaking powerplay masterclass on Monday, scoring 52 runs off just 17 balls to seal an emphatic eight-wicket victory as the 2008 IPL champions began their campaign in style.Suryavanshi, who turned 15 on March 27, revealed after the match that he chose to go to bed early to stay fresh for the big clash against CSK, skipping the cake-cutting celebrations with the team.“I didn’t really do anything outside – there was cake cutting, but I went to bed early to avoid the smell of the cake (on how he celebrated his birthday),” Suryavinshi said after the match.
After the bowlers restricted CSK to a paltry 127, Suryavanshi took center stage and scored 52 runs off just 17 balls at an astonishing strike rate of 305.88, which included four fours and five sixes. Rajasthan Royals chased down the target with 47 balls to spare.“The plan was just to do well in the powerplay – initially the wicket felt a little bit sticky, but as the ball got bigger, it came on the bat well (on his batting approach). I think about the defence, but today our plan was to control the game in the powerplay because in a short chase, that phase is important – if the bowling team can do well, our team can do well. Aggressive intent,” He said.“The coaches didn’t specifically say that the bowlers would attack me – everyone else was already saying that – but they just told me to back me up and stick to my natural game and play according to the situation. My opening partner (Yashvi Jaiswal) keeps talking to me after every ball – he tells me when to take singles, encourages me to come on strike, and encourages me if my batsman plays well. said the young man.After a strong start to the tournament, Rajasthan Royals will now face Gujarat Titans on April 4 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.CSK will aim for a comeback when they take on Punjab Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on April 3.
