Guwahati: Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja opened up on his aggressive send-off to former teammate Shivam Dube during their IPL 2026 clash against Chennai Super Kings.
The moment came after Jadeja dismissed Dube shortly after being hit for a six, celebrating with a fiery “gun-shot” gesture that quickly grabbed attention.
Strategy behind the celebration
Jadeja clarified that the reaction was rooted in a well-planned approach rather than emotion alone.
“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,” Jadeja said.
He revealed that his plan was to bowl outside off-stump, anticipating Dube’s intent to go for big shots.
“I tried to bowl outside off because I knew he would look to play big shots against me,” he added.
Key spell turns the match
The experienced all-rounder played a decisive role with the ball, finishing with impressive figures of three overs for 18 runs while picking up crucial wickets.
Jadeja dismissed both Sarfaraz Khan and Dube in the same over, helping restrict CSK to a modest total of 127.
He credited the pitch conditions for aiding his performance.
“I felt the wicket was a bit sticky and the ball was turning, so I enjoyed bowling. My job was to hit the right areas and let the pitch do the rest,” he said.
Sooryavanshi leads RR chase
Chasing 128, Rajasthan Royals cruised to victory thanks to teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The youngster smashed 52 off just 17 balls, ensuring RR chased down the target with eight wickets in hand and 7.5 overs to spare.
Emotional clash with former team
Having spent over a decade with CSK, Jadeja admitted the match carried emotional weight. However, his performance showed professionalism and focus against his former side.
Now back with Rajasthan Royals—the franchise where he began his IPL journey—Jadeja appears to have seamlessly adapted to his new role.
Conclusion
Ravindra Jadeja’s aggressive send-off to Shivam Dube was not just a flash of emotion but a reflection of tactical execution and deep understanding of a former teammate’s game. Backed by a match-winning spell and RR’s dominant victory, the moment summed up Jadeja’s competitive edge in IPL 2026.