Monday proved to be an exciting yet emotional day for all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who represented Rajasthan Royals against his former franchise Chennai Super Kings in their IPL 2026 clash in Guwahati. Jadeja, who had been part of CSK for 13 years, was traded to Rajasthan Royals ahead of the auction. The move worked perfectly in favour of the 2008 champions, as the seasoned all-rounder delivered a brilliant spell, conceding just 18 runs in three overs while picking up key wickets.
Jadeja dismissed Sarfaraz Khan and Shivam Dube in the same over, playing a crucial role in restricting CSK to a modest total of 127.
However, it was his send-off to Dube that truly grabbed headlines. After being hit for a six, Jadeja struck back two balls later when Dube was caught by Ravi Bishnoi. As the CSK batter walked back, Jadeja surprised everyone with a fiery “gun-shot” celebration.
A special return in Pink for Ravindra Jadeja
Two quick wickets in his very first over back for the Royals
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During the post-match interaction, Jadeja explained that his celebration was a reflection of his well-executed plan against Dube, revealing that his familiarity with the batter’s game played a key role.
“I have known him for a long time. I bowled to him regularly in the nets. I know how he thinks and what he looks to do. I was prepared for that and tried to bowl outside off, because I knew he would look to play big shots against me,” Jadeja told the host broadcaster.
Chasing a target of 128, Rajasthan Royals faced little resistance, thanks largely to batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who lit up the contest with a sensational 52 off just 17 deliveries. Riding on his explosive knock, RR chased down the total with eight wickets in hand and 7.5 overs to spare.
“I felt the wicket was a bit sticky, and the ball was turning, so I really enjoyed bowling. My job was just to hit the right areas and let the pitch do the rest. You can’t take anything for granted in cricket; no matter the target, you have to work hard, play your shots, and give your 100 per cent,” Jadeja said.