As a fan of the IPL 2025, one has been used to watching nail-biting closely contested games, and the game between rajasthan royals vs chennai super kings match scorecard that was hosted in Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati was not an exception. Rajasthan Royals registered their first win in the tournament, beating Chennai Super Kings through a nail-biting contest by 6 runs with just a ball left to play.
The thrilling part of this game, however, was not only its close finish but also the roller coaster ride that both teams endured throughout the 40 overs. RR and their batting and bowling lineuphad tactical maturity in rearranging and Csk nearly achieved another memorable chase with MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja. But death-over excellence from Sandeep Sharma denied them and the match seemed to be another thriller played between these two teams in 2023 in Chepauk.
So, we can really zoom into the Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings Match Scorecard, after which we can go through the key moments, the reaction of the players and also what this match holds in the context of the larger IPL 2025 picture as well.
Full Match Scorecard: RR vs CSK, IPL 2025 – Barsapara, Guwahati
Rajasthan Royals Innings – 182/9 in 20 Overs
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | Dismissal |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 133.33 | c Ashwin b Khaleel |
| Sanju Samson | 20 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 125 | c Rachin b Noor Ahmad |
| Nitish Rana | 81 | 36 | 10 | 5 | 225 | st Dhoni b Ashwin |
| Riyan Parag (c) | 37 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 132.14 | b Pathirana |
| Dhruv Jurel (wk) | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 42.86 | c Pathirana b Noor Ahmad |
| W. Hasaranga | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 80 | b Jadeja |
| Shimron Hetmyer | 19 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 118.75 | c Ashwin b Pathirana |
| Jofra Archer | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | c Gaikwad b Khaleel |
| K. Kartikeya | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | Run out (Khaleel) |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50 | Not Out |
| Tushar Deshpande | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50 | Not Out |
| Extras | 10 | (b2, w8) | ||||
| Total | 182/9 | 20 Overs |
Chennai Super Kings Innings – 176/6 in 20 Overs
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | Dismissal |
| Rachin Ravindra | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | c Jurel b Archer |
| Rahul Tripathi | 23 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 121.05 | c Hetmyer b Hasaranga |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad (c) | 63 | 44 | 7 | 1 | 143.18 | c Jaiswal b Hasaranga |
| Shivam Dube | 18 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 180 | c Parag b Hasaranga |
| Vijay Shankar | 9 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 150 | b Hasaranga |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 32* | 22 | 2 | 1 | 145.45 | Not Out |
| MS Dhoni (wk) | 16 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 145.45 | c Hetmyer b Sandeep |
| Jamie Overton | 11* | 4 | 1 | 1 | 275 | Not Out |
| Extras | 4 | (lb1, w3) | ||||
| Total | 176/6 | 20 Overs |
Key Moments That Defined the Match
1. Nitish Rana’s Blazing Start
Rajasthan Royals’ opening woes seemed to vanish when Nitish Rana, promoted to the top, smashed 81 off just 36 balls. This aggressive approach set the tone for RR’s innings, giving them a platform to reach 182 despite a mid-innings slowdown. His clever use of pace and awareness of field settings was a standout feature, especially during the powerplay.
2. Hasaranga’s Magical Spell
The real turning point, however, came in the second innings. Wanindu Hasaranga spun a web around CSK’s top and middle order. With figures of 4 for 35, he became only the second RR bowler after Sohail Tanvir to take a 4-fer against CSK. His googlies were particularly effective on the slowing Guwahati pitch.
3. Death Over Gamble Pays Off
With 20 runs needed off the final over, CSK had Dhoni and Jadeja at the crease—something fans have learned to fear. But RR captain Riyan Parag showed guts by handing the ball to Sandeep Sharma, not Archer. Sandeep responded by taking Dhoni’s wicket on the first ball and allowing just 14 runs, sealing a 6-run win.
What the Players Said
Nitish Rana (Player of the Match)
“I was trying to play the field rather than the bowler. I was hitting too hard in the first two games, so I toned it down today. Coaches asked me to bat at 3, and I just followed their advice.”
Riyan Parag (RR Captain)
“We were 20 short with the bat but made it up with fielding and smart bowling. Dishant Yagnik has done good work with our fielding. Hasaranga and Theekshana were brilliant in the middle overs.”
Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK Captain)
“180 was chasable. Nitish played really well and we weren’t proactive enough to stop him. Some misfields cost us. Our bowling is getting better, we just need a good start with the bat.”
Match Stats to Note
- CSK have lost 9 matches in a row while chasing 175+ totals since 2021.
- Hasaranga’s 4/35 is the third-best spell by a spinner vs CSK in IPL history.
- Rajasthan Royals now lead CSK 7-2 in head-to-head since 2020.
Tactical Tweaks from Rajasthan Royals
Interestingly, RR did not change their playing XI from the previous game against KKR. However, they did shuffle the batting order, promoting Nitish Rana and experimenting with bowling rotations. These minor adjustments had a major impact.
Riyan Parag’s captaincy was also notable. He rotated his bowlers smartly, used himself as an option, and bravely handed the last over to Sandeep Sharma—a move that was tactically spot-on.
Why CSK Is Struggling in IPL 2025
The term “Dad’s Army” seems to be haunting CSK once again. While Dhoni and Jadeja continue to be reliable, the rest of the squad looks out of steam. Chennai’s problem isn’t talent, it’s timing. Their bowlers are improving, but their top-order batting has yet to fire. And in T20s, especially in power plays, every dot ball counts.
Conclusion: Rajasthan Royals Vs Chennai Super Kings Match Scorecard
In an emotionally confronting and high-stress match, Rajasthan Royals registered their first win of the IPL 2025 with a scoreboard stamp against a towering CSK outfit. Royals demonstrated poise, creativity, and confidence, which were all three main components of a title-winning team. CSK, on the other hand, will have to reevaluate their strategies and learn to click as a team or the tournament will simply elope.
It is still too early, as Stephen Fleming remarks. However, momentum counts early on, as we have seen in earlier seasons, and Rajasthan has just attained it.
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