Guwahati, March 30 – Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag praised his team's performance after they defeated Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets in their IPL 2026 opening game at the ACA Stadium on Monday.
"I was lucky with the toss, but I think we executed our strategy well, especially considering CSK was a strong opponent. We practiced for two days before their arrival, and the pitch was challenging, but we adapted. Everyone played really well," Parag said.
RR bowled out CSK for just 127, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 52 off 17 balls being the highlight. This allowed the chase to be completed in just 12.1 overs, giving Parag a successful start as captain.
Parag praised the pace attack of Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, as well as Sandeep Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja for their control. He also highlighted the performance of debutant Brijesh Sharma in front of a large crowd in Guwahati.
"We expect Jof and Nandre to perform consistently, and they did. Sandy was doing his job, and Jaddu seemed to have adapted well to the conditions. Brijesh's performance in his debut game was incredible," Parag added.
Parag also discussed his conversations with Sooryavanshi, stating that he emphasized the importance of focusing on the game regardless of external pressure. He also mentioned that he ensured the coaches provided Sooryavanshi with ample batting opportunities.
Parag concluded by outlining RR's planned batting order, with Dhruv at three, Hetmyer at five, and Jurel at number four. He expressed confidence that this lineup would be successful.
CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad acknowledged the challenging conditions and emphasized the need for improvement. He also mentioned that the team would reassess their strategy and focus on positive thinking.