Kamal Ghorui
GUWAHATI: With Rajasthan Royals hosting a few Indian Premier League matches in their adopted home of Guwahati over the past seasons, top-flight cricket is no novelty to the Assam capital. But with an additional fixture scheduled at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium this year — amid the buzz of the April 9 state assembly elections — the excitement has risen quite a few notches.As fans gear up for the Royals’ clash with Super Kings on Monday, weather remains the only concern. Intermittent drizzle over the past week and forecasts of rain and thunderstorms on match day threaten to disrupt proceedings.
On the field, both teams are desperate for a reset after disappointing IPL 2025 campaigns. Chennai Super Kings finished at the bottom of the table for the first time in their history, while Rajasthan Royals ended just above them.
Samson swaps pink for yellowSanju Samson will be the biggest attraction, arriving in Guwahati on the back of a stellar T20 World Cup-winning campaign with India. The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter will now turn out for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals — a franchise he represented and led for over a decade.Young India U19 World Cup-winning captain Ayush Mhatre adds firepower to the top-order for CSK, while Shivam Dube will look to carry his T20 World Cup form into the IPL and add muscle to the middle. Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed and Noor Ahmad form the bowling core.Riyan Parag begins his first full season as Rajasthan Royals captain after handling leadership duties briefly last year during Samson’s injury-forced absence. The Assam all-rounder now shoulders the responsibility of leading a franchise seeking a fresh identity.Ravindra Jadeja, part of the Samson swap deal, will don pink this season and spearhead 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 hope for a more consistent showing.NUMBERS GAME6 – Rajasthan Royals have won six out of the last seven games against Chennai Super Kings between Oct 2021 and May 2025. Their only defeat was by five wickets at Chepauk on May 12, 2024.
