"Felt we were..." - Riyan Parag disappointed despite RR’s win vs CSK in IPL 2025

Riyan Parag-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) locked horns with the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 11th match of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025).

Rajasthan Royals beat the Chennai Super Kings by 6 runs in a nail-biting match on Sunday, March 30, at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.

Also Read: Ruturaj Gaikwad reveals Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu’s role in CSK’s struggles in IPL 2025

Feels good. Took some time, it was two games but felt long - Riyan Parag

Rajasthan Royals were invited to bat first in the match and they posted a competitive total of 182 runs on the board, riding on Nitish Rana's fantastic 81-run knock.

Defending the total, the RR bowling unit stepped up, and with Wanindu Hasaranga leading the attack, they restricted CSK to 176/6 in their 20 overs.

Speaking during the post-match presentation ceremony, Riyan Parag said that winning his first match as skipper felt good but expressed disappointment over the performance of his batting unit. He said:

"Feels good. It took some time; it was two games but it felt long. Felt we were 20 short. We were going well in the middle overs but lost a couple of quick wickets. But we bowled very well. The bowlers stepped up and executed our collective plans. "

We have had two tough games - Riyan Parag

Riyan Parag further said that they had poor outings with the ball in their first two matches but were happy to bounce back in the third game. He stated:

"We have had two tough games, going for 280 and then not being able to defend around 180 in the second game."

Riyan Parag added that they did a great job on the field and made up for the 20 fewer runs they scored. He said:

"Luckily had a few options in this game, me and Nitish were also there. I just did what felt instinctive as a captain today. Fielding makes up for the 20 runs that we were short. We have been working with Dishant Yagnik, our fielding coach. So it shows."

How did RR perform in the previous IPL match against CSK?

Rajasthan Royals had a frustrating outing against Chennai Super Kings in their previous IPL match on May 12, 2024, and they bagged a 5-wicket loss.

Batting first on a sluggish Chepauk track, RR posted 141/5 in their 20 overs. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (24 off 21) and Jos Buttler (21 off 25) found it tough to accelerate, while Sanju Samson (15 off 19) also failed to convert his start.

Riyan Parag stood tall with an unbeaten 47 off 35 but lacked support from the other end while Dhruv Jurel came up with 28 off 18 to help RR cross 140 runs.

Defending the total, RR’s bowling effort was not enough to win. Ravichandran Ashwin (2/35) provided breakthroughs, dismissing Rachin Ravindra and Shivam Dube, while Yuzvendra Chahal (1/22) kept things tight. However, their inability to pick wickets at regular intervals allowed CSK to chase down the target comfortably in 18.2 overs.