Jofra Archer bowls longest first over in IPL history: 11-ball nightmare for Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans

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Jofra Archer appeared unable to harness the swing and maintain his line throughout the extended spell.

Jofra Archer bowls longest first over in IPL

Rajasthan Royals (RR) fast bowler Jofra Archer etched his name into Indian Premier League (IPL) records on Saturday (May 9), bowling the longest first over in the tournament’s history. The 11-ball over, which yielded 17 runs, came against Gujarat Titans (GT) openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

Archer, renowned for his express pace and accuracy, struggled with control from the outset. The over featured multiple wides, a no-ball and an inconsistent swing, handing the Gujarat Titans an unexpected advantage in the opening moments of their IPL 2026 encounter.

How the record over unfolded

The over began with Sai Sudharsan dispatching a short and wide delivery over the point for four. A wide followed on the second ball. Archer then overstepped significantly on the next delivery, resulting in a no-ball and a single to Sudharsan after a misfield at backward point. A free hit was signalled.

What followed was a sequence of three leg-side wides, including one that sailed for five wides after beating the keeper and racing to the boundary. Shubman Gill faced a mix of yorkers and length balls, with two additional wides down the leg side. The marathon over finally concluded on the 11th delivery when Sudharsan punched a length ball to cover for no run.

Archer conceded 17 runs in total, with the Rajasthan Royals fielders and dugout visibly unsettled. The bowler appeared unable to harness the swing and maintain his line throughout the extended spell.

Longest overs in IPL history: Jofra Archer joins unwanted record list

Jofra Archer’s effort equals the longest over ever bowled in IPL history, measured by balls faced. The complete list stands as follows:

11 - Mohammed Siraj vs MI, Bengaluru, 2023 (Over 19)

11 - Tushar Deshpande vs LSG, Chennai, 2023 (Over 4)

11 - Shardul Thakur vs KKR, Kolkata, 2025 (Over 13)

11 - Sandeep Sharma vs DC, Delhi, 2025 (Over 20)

11 - Hardik Pandya vs GT, Wankhede, 2025 (Over 8)

11 - Arshdeep Singh vs GT, Mullanpur, 2026 (Over 20)

11 - Jofra Archer vs GT, Jaipur, 2026 (Over 1)*

Notably, Archer’s over is the only instance of this record occurring in the first over of a match, underlining its rarity in the powerplay phase.

Strategic implications for Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans

The early concession of extras provided Gujarat Titans with immediate momentum and a platform to build their innings. For the Rajasthan Royals, the episode highlights the need for Jofra Archer to regain rhythm quickly, especially given the high expectations surrounding his return to IPL action.

The incident has already sparked widespread discussion among cricket fans regarding the challenges of controlling swing under lights.

About the Author

Aachal Maniyar

Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.

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