The 2026 IPL The season kicks off with a high-stakes match Rajasthan Royals hosted by Chennai Super Kings at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. This Match 3 encounter is defined by a landscape-changing trade that fundamentally changes both franchises. Sanju SamsonRoyals’ long-time heartthrob, CSK looks surreal in yellow, while legendary Ravindra Jadeja returns to the kindergarten where his career began Shane Warne In 2008. Adding a layer of local enthusiasm, Guwahati’s own Rian Parag The Royals are stepping up as full-time club captain and looking to prove their leadership in their country.
On the opposite sideRuturaj Gaikwad returns fully fit to lead a revitalized Chennai team looking to erase the memories of a lackluster 2025 campaign. However, the Super Kings face a significant emotional and tactical obstacle: lack MS Dhoni. The veteran icon is set to miss the first two weeks of the 2026 season with a calf injury, leaving a void in the lower order and leadership group. As these two heavyweights collide in the humid air of Assam, the story of sold icons and missing legends sets the stage for a truly unexpected thriller.
RR vs CSK head to head record in IPL
Matches played: 31 | CSK won: 16 | RR won: 15 | No Results/Closed: 0
Probability XI of both teams
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wk), Riyan Parag(c), Ravindra Jadeja, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Ravi Bishnoi, Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande
Influence Player options: Kuldeep Sen / Shubham Dubey
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Shreyas Gopal, Khaleel Ahmed, Matt Henry
Influence Player options: Rahul Chahar / Mukesh Choudhary
Also READ: This is the reason why MS Dhoni will miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026
IPL Stats and Records at Barsapara Cricket Stadium
- Total Matches: 6
- Matches won in first innings: 3
- Matches won in bowling: 2
- No result: 1
- Average scores of 1st hotels: 180
- Average scores of 2nd hotels: 143
- Most recorded common: 199/4 (20 Overs) RR vs DC, 2023
- The lowest total recorded was: 142/9 (20 Overs) DC vs RR, 2023
- Highest Score Pursued: 153/2 (17.3 Overs) by KKR vs RR, 2025
- Lowest score defended: 182/9 (20 Overs) by RR vs CSK, 2025
Also READ: Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 Full Schedule: Date, Time and Venues of RR Matches
