Guwahati, March 29: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 kicks off with a thrilling match between the Rajasthan Royals (RR), the champions of Season 1, and the five-time winners, Chennai Super Kings (CSK). This exciting encounter will take place at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, where both teams are eager to start their campaigns with a win.
All eyes will be on Sanju Samson, who faces his former team. Under his captaincy, the Rajasthan Royals reached the finals in 2022. Now, he dons the CSK jersey. Samson was a key player in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 victory, scoring half-centuries in three consecutive matches against the West Indies, England, and New Zealand. On the other hand, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will be seen playing against his old team as he represents the Rajasthan Royals.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni will miss at least two weeks due to a calf muscle strain, placing additional responsibility on Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
The CSK squad also features emerging talents, including 20-year-old spin-bowling all-rounder Prashant Veer and uncapped player Kartik Sharma, known for his power-hitting in domestic cricket.
For Rajasthan, Samson’s departure marks the end of an era and signals a new chapter under the leadership of Riyan Parag, who will captain the team at his home ground. Jadeja’s inclusion adds strength and experience to the lineup.
The Royals’ batting will largely revolve around Yashasvi Jaiswal, who now takes on a more significant role as a senior player in the top order. He will be supported by promising young player Vaibhav Suryaanshi and the in-form Shimron Hetmyer, both capable of explosive starts.
However, the Rajasthan Royals’ bowling unit remains a concern. Despite significant changes following last year’s struggles, questions about consistency linger, particularly in the fast-bowling department led by Jofra Archer. The spin-bowling responsibilities will primarily rest on Jadeja and Ravi Bishnoi.
Rajasthan Royals Squad: Riyan Parag (Captain), Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Luan-Dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Perala, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryaanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, Adam Milne, Brijesh Sharma, Jofra Archer, Kuldeep Sen, Quena Mafaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, and Sandeep Sharma.
Chennai Super Kings Squad: Sanju Samson, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Ayush Mhatre, Matt Henry, Akil Hussain, Noor Ahmad, Jamie Overton, Matthew Short, Khaleel Ahmed, Jack Foulkes, Anshul Kamboj, Nathan Ellis, Sarfaraz Khan, Rahul Chahar, Kartik Sharma, Urvil Patel, Aman Khan, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Shreyas Gopal, Spencer Johnson, Gurjapneet Singh, and Mukesh Choudhary.
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