Rajasthan Royals (RR) but take Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Today is effectively a reset derby at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium. After both teams struggled in 2025, this Match 3 of IPL 2026 is a chance for a fresh start under interesting new leadership and team dynamics. The clash is headlined by a high-profile trade that saw Sanju Samson move to CSK while Ravindra Jadeja returned to the Royals.
Now led by local hero Riyan Parag, the Royals have a formidable top order Yashasvi Jaiswal and youthful feeling Vaibhav Suryavanshi. with jofra archer Back to leading the pace attack, they look structurally solid for Guwahati conditions.
Ruturaj Gaikwad A revamped side takes the lead but faces an early hurdle-ms dhoni Has been ruled out for the first two weeks due to a calf strain. All eyes will be on Samson as he faces his former franchise in the yellow outfit for the first time.
Barsapara Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
The barsapara surface is traditionally a belter-flat, hard and high-scoring. Expect a fast outfield and short boundaries (~65-68 metres) to aid in high-scoring games. The average score of the first innings is around 175-185. Due to light grass, fast bowlers may get light movement and carries in the first 3-4 overs. Spinners may struggle to get a grip on the ball in the evening. Dew is expected to be a major factor from the 12th over of the second innings onwards. The captain who wins the toss will almost certainly want to bowl first, as chasing becomes much easier when the ball becomes wet.
Guwahati Weather Forecast
The evening weather in Guwahati is expected to be slightly cooler around 21 degrees Celsius for the clash between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, but it will remain quite humid with humidity levels at 87% and dew point at 20 degrees Celsius. The sky is likely to be mostly cloudy with around 70% cloud cover, while a light easterly wind at a speed of 7 km/h, which can reach up to 19 km/h, may provide minimal relief. There is a 25% chance of rain, so interruptions in rain seem less likely but cannot be completely ruled out. Visibility may also drop slightly to 5 km, and with so much moisture in the air, dew could play a significant role later in the game, potentially impacting the bowling conditions and favoring teams chasing under lights.
