Rayyan Parag and Ruturaj Gaikwad
GUWAHATI: With Rajasthan Royals hosting a few Indian Premier League matches in their favorite home town Guwahati over the past seasons, I-League cricket is nothing new to the Assam capital. But with an additional match scheduled at the Barsabara Cricket Ground this year – amid the buzz of the April 9 State Assembly elections – excitement has run high.As fans prepare for the Royals’ clash with the Super Kings on Monday, the weather remains the only concern. Intermittent rain fell over the past week, and rain and thunderstorms were expected on match day, threatening to disrupt the proceedings.
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On the field, both teams are in desperate need of a reset after their disappointing IPL 2025 campaigns. Chennai Super Kings finished bottom of the table for the first time in their history, while Rajasthan Royals finished just above them.
Samson replaces pink with yellowThe big attraction will be Sanju Samson, who arrives in Guwahati on the back of an impressive T20 World Cup-winning campaign with India. The Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman will now turn out for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals – a franchise he represented and led for over a decade.Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Aayush Mahatri is adding firepower to CSK’s top order, while Shivam Dubey will look to carry his T20 World Cup form into the IPL and add muscle to the middle.
Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed and Noor Ahmed form the heart of the bowling.Rayyan Parag begins his first full season as captain of Rajasthan Royals after briefly taking over the captaincy duties last year during Samson’s injury-related absence. The Assam all-rounder now has the responsibility of leading a chain seeking a new identity.Ravindra Jadeja
who is part of the Samson swap, will don the pink this season and lead the spin attack alongside Ravi Bishnoi, while Jofra Archer leads the pace unit. With Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Shimron Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel forming the batting core, Royals will be hoping to put in a more consistent show.Numbers game6 – Rajasthan Royals have won six of their last seven matches against Chennai Super Kings between October 2021 and May 2025. Their only defeat was by five wickets at Chepauk on May 12, 2024.