Ravindra Jadeja produced a classic all-round display to drag Rajasthan Royals back to winning ways, as they ended a two-match losing streak with a convincing victory over Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. On a surface that demanded discipline and composure, Jadeja stood out as the difference-maker with both bat and ball.
The highlight of the night came after the match, when Jadeja dedicated his Player of the Match award to his wife, Rivaba Jadeja, who is currently serving as a minister in Gujarat. The southpaw revealed that she had predicted his performance a day before the game, making the moment even more special.
“Feeling good, winning Man of the Match,” Ravindra Jadeja said after the game. “I want to dedicate the award to the education minister of Gujarat [his wife]. She said yesterday that I will do well, and I did. With the bat, the wicket was not easy because the ball was seaming and swinging. I wanted to stay as long as possible. In T20 cricket, you never know when the last over will come, and we cashed in.”
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Coming in when RR were in trouble at 77/5, Jadeja anchored the innings with a composed unbeaten 43. He then stitched together a vital 49-run stand with impact player Shubham Dubey, who finished on 19 not out off 11 balls, helping the Royals reach a competitive 159.
Ravindra Jadeja delivered a match-winning performance against the Lucknow Super Giants and paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife Rivaba Jadeja, calling her the “Education Minister of Gujarat.”
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Jadeja also made an impact with the ball, breaking a crucial partnership by dismissing Nicholas Pooran as Lucknow chased the target. The Royals’ bowlers then took over, with Jofra Archer leading the attack and Nandre Burger and Brijesh Sharma picking up two wickets apiece. Jadeja and Ravi Bishnoi also chipped in with a wicket each as LSG folded for 119 in 18 overs.
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The low-scoring win was RR’s most complete effort of IPL 2026 so far, and it lifted them to second place on the points table. For Jadeja, it was also a landmark moment, as the performance earned him his 17th Player of the Match award in IPL history.
