Kumble explains how RR's clinical bowling set tone in win vs CSK

Anil Kumble analysed RR's effective new-ball bowling against CSK, pointing to pitch assistance and Nandre Burger's key dismissal of Sanju Samson.

Former India captain Anil Kumble dissected Rajasthan Royals' (RR) clinical new-ball bowling display against Sanju Samson, highlighting how the opening spells set the tone in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The Super Kings opener Samson, who was dismissed early in the innings by left-arm seamer Nandre Burger, proved to be a key turning point, with CSK struggling to recover from the early blows after the Royals displayed a clinical bowling performance in their side's eight-wicket victory in Guwahati on Monday.

Kumble on RR's clinical new-ball display

Speaking on JioHotstar, JioStar expert Kumble pointed out that the pitch offered early assistance to seamers, which was effectively exploited by Rajasthan's pace attack. The legendary cricketer emphasised that subtle variations in movement and length played a decisive role in troubling the CSK top order, particularly Samson, who was playing his first match for the five-time champions. "It wasn't an easy pitch. There was something in it for the bowlers, a bit of moisture. In Nandre Burger's first over, everything was going into the right-hander, and even on the wicket ball, the angle looked like it was going to come in. But after pitching, it straightened up. It was a perfect left-arm seamer's delivery to a right-hander, and Sanju Samson was beaten," Kumble said.

Kumble further explained how Rajasthan's bowlers adapted quickly to the conditions, keeping the batters in trouble with disciplined lines and clever changes in their length. "When Jofra Archer came on to bowl, Sanju was expecting a short delivery because he had gotten out that way against Jofra Archer, but he went full. It was a good toss to win for Rajasthan," he added.

Raina praises RR's batting approach, new opening pair

Meanwhile, JioStar expert and former India cricketer Suresh Raina emphasised the importance of the Royals' opening pair, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal, terming them potential game-changers for the franchise in their win against CSK. Speaking on JioHotstar, Raina underlined the shift in RR's batting approach, noting that the team has shown greater clarity and consistency compared to the previous season. The former Indian cricketer referred to skipper Riyan Parag's post-match remarks, where the captain stressed that the side is committed to its attacking mindset as long as results continue to go in their favour. "Riyan Parag mentioned in the post-match presentation about the batting mindset that as long as the team is winning, they are sticking to their approach. The changes are evident from last season. You now have eight overs of spin in Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Bishnoi, who are both capable of bowling four overs in every match. Then you look at the batting order, starting with the openers, followed by Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and then Ravindra Jadeja and Donovan Ferreira down the order. There's some serious depth in the batting. But I think the game-changers for RR will be the pair of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal," Raina said.

'Like Gayle and Kohli for RCB'

Drawing a comparison with one of the most successful opening combinations in IPL history, Raina likened the Sooryavanshi-Jaiswal duo to Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli during their time at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). "I immediately went back to the duo of Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli for RCB all those years ago, where Gayle would blow the opposition away, as Sooryavanshi did with a 15-ball half-century against CSK, and Kohli would control the innings, solid as ever. I think that combination will be very important for RR this season," he added.

Incisive bowling spells from Jofra Archer, Jadeja and Nandre Burger, and a sensational half-century from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi helped RR cruise to an eight-wicket win over five-time champions CSK on Monday. (ANI)

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