The IPL 2026 is gearing up for an electrifying showdown as the Rajasthan Royals (RR) face off against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Monday at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. In anticipation of this thrilling match, RR’s emerging talent, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, shared his aspirations for the team. Reflecting on the previous season, he expressed his determination to provide a strong start and play substantial innings. “When I got selected, my primary aim was to set the tone for the team. I wanted to play my natural game during the Powerplay; if I got off to a good start, I aimed to build on it and avoid losing my wicket,” Sooryavanshi mentioned in an interview with JioStar. For the current season, the left-handed batsman is laser-focused on securing the title for the Rajasthan franchise. “I realized that if I executed my shots effectively, it could shift the game’s dynamics, as chasing down 200-plus runs is no small feat for any team. This season, our target is to lift the trophy. If we succeed, both my performance and the team’s efforts will be recognized, which is what truly matters,” he stated. The 15-year-old cricketer also shared his admiration for two cricketing icons from his childhood. “I watched Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh finish matches almost single-handedly. Their presence meant the opposition had little chance to recover, and that aspect of their game resonated with me. I’ve scored a lot of runs in domestic cricket for Bihar, including league matches and while training with the probables,” he added.
**IPL 2026 Matchup: Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals**
**Chennai Super Kings:** Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), MS Dhoni (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Zak Foulkes, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar.
**Rajasthan Royals:** Ravindra Jadeja, Sandeep Sharma, Adam Milne, Donovan Ferreira (WK), Jofra Archer, Shimron Hetmyer, Tushar Deshpande, Sam Curran, Nandre Burger, Riyan Parag (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Sen, Ravi Bishnoi, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Sushant Mishra, Yudhvir Singh, Shubham Dubey, Vignesh Puthur, Aman Rao, Kwena Maphaka, Yash Punja, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ravi Singh (WK), Brijesh Sharma.
(With PTI Inputs)