Smith fires as an opener in return from head knock

Rajasthan Royals have ridden explosive half centuries from captain Steve Smith and Sanju Samson to beat Chennai Super Kings by 16 runs in a high-scoring Indian Premier League game.

Samson blazed nine sixes and a four in his powerful knock of 74 off 32 balls and Smith made 69 off 47 deliveries (with four fours and four sixes) before Jofra Archer (27 not out) smacked four sixes against South African Lungi Ngidi in the last over to give Rajasthan a strong total of 7-216.

Smith missed Australia's three recent ODIs against England after suffering a knock to the head at training in Manchester, but was back to his best here as he opened the batting in Rajasthan's first game of the tournament.

In a robust second-wicket stand, Samson and Smith smashed 121 runs off 56 balls as Samson raised his half century off just 19 balls.

Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla went for 47 runs off his first two overs, but Chennai missed an opportunity to get Smith leg before wicket when he was on 31.

Television replays showed left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja's delivery would have hit the leg stump, but skipper MS Dhoni didn't go for the referral.

Smith got another life soon after completing his half century when Sam Curran parried the ball over the boundary line.

Samson was caught at deep cover in the 12th over and Smith fell in the penultimate over to give Curran (3-33) his third wicket.

Chennai could have restricted Rajasthan below the 200-run mark but Ngidi conceded 30 runs in the last over, which included Archer's two sixes off no-balls.

Having won the toss and elected to field, Chennai lost the momentum by the ninth over in their run-chase as they lost four wickets in the space of three overs and were restricted to 6-200 in reply.

Faf du Plessis top-scored with 72 off 37 balls, hitting out late as skipper Dhoni came to the crease at the fall of the fifth wicket, by which point his side required 101 to win from just 38 balls

Du Plessis hit seven sixes before Dhoni, who was nine off 12 balls at the start of the final over when 38 runs were needed for victory, hit three sixes of his own to add some respectability to the scorecard. 

"With 217 on the board, you have to get a very good start, that was not the case," Dhoni said.

"Without singling out anyone, a controllable we could have controlled is no balls. Had we not bowled no balls, we would have been chasing 200, and it would have been a very good game."

Samson grabbed two catches behind the wickets and also stumped Curran and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who recovered from COVID-19 to play in the match, as leg-spinner Rahul Tewatia finished with fine figures of 3-37.

"Sanju Samson played an unbelievable knock, (it) felt like everything he was hitting went for six," Smith said.

"On this wicket, it was all about trying to avoid straight hits for the spinners. A couple of balls were fuller and got above the eyeline but the idea was to stay back of a length."

Chennai have two points from two games after they beat title-holder Mumbai Indians in their opening game.

Rajasthan opened their IPL campaign with a win despite missing their two key players - Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes.

Buttler has arrived in the United Arab Emirates but is completing his quarantine period while Stokes is with his ailing father in New Zealand.

On Wednesday, Kolkata Knight Riders will play their first IPL game when they take on Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi.