2026 ipl The season starts with a high-stakes match Rajasthan Royals host the Chennai Super Kings At Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. This Match 3 encounter has been defined by a scenario-shifting trade that has fundamentally changed both franchises. sanju samsonThe long-standing heartbeat of the Royals, CSK makes a surreal appearance in yellow, while the legendary Ravindra Jadeja Returns to the nursery where his career began shane warne in 2008. Adding a layer of local excitement, Guwahati’s own Riyan Parag Stepping up as the full-time captain of the Royals, he is keen to prove his leadership on home soil.
front sideRuturaj Gaikwad Back to full fitness to lead a revived Chennai team looking to erase the memories of a disappointing 2025 campaign. However, the Super Kings face a significant emotional and tactical hurdle: the absence of ms dhoni. The veteran icon will miss the first two weeks of the 2026 season due to a calf strain injury, leaving a void in the lower order and leadership group. As these two giants clash in the humid air of Assam, the tale of traded icons and missing legends sets the stage for a truly unpredictable thriller.
RR vs CSK, head-to-head record in IPL
Matches played: 31 | CSK won: 16 | RR won: 15 | No result/tied: 0
Probable eleven of both the teams
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Luan-Dre Pretorius (wicketkeeper), Riyan Parag(c), Ravindra Jadeja, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Ravi Bishnoi, Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande.
Impact Player Options: Kuldeep Sen/Shubham Dubey
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brewis, Shivam Dubey, Karthik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmed, Shreyas Gopal, Khalil Ahmed, Matt Henry
Impact Player Options: Rahul Chahar/Mukesh Chaudhary
Also read: Here’s why MS Dhoni will not play the first two weeks of IPL 2026
IPL stats and records at Barsapara Cricket Stadium
- Total matches: 6
- Matches won by batting first: 3
- Matches won by bowling first: 2
- No results: 1
- Average first ins score: 180
- Average 2 ins score: 143
- Highest total recorded: 199/4 (20 overs) RR vs DC, 2023
- Lowest total recorded: 142/9 (20 overs) DC vs RR, 2023
- Highest score chased: 153/2 (17.3 overs) KKR vs RR, 2025
- Defense of lowest score: 182/9 (20 overs) RR vs CSK, 2025
Also read: Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 Full Schedule: Date, Time and Venue of RR Matches
