Guwahati: With Rajasthan Royals Top-flight cricket is no stranger to Assam’s capital, having hosted a handful of Indian Premier League matches at its home ground in Guwahati last season. But with an additional fixture at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium this year – amid buzz of the April 9 state assembly elections – the excitement has grown considerably.As fans gear up for the Royals’ clash with the Super Kings on Monday, the weather is the only concern. Intermittent drizzle over the past week and predictions of rain and thunder on the day of the match threaten to disrupt proceedings.On the field, both teams are eager to reset after disappointing IPL 2025 campaigns. Chennai Super Kings For the first time in their history, they finished at the bottom of the table, while Rajasthan Royals finished just above them.
Samson changed pink to yellow.Sanju Samson will be the main focus when he arrives in Guwahati on the back of an impressive T20 World Cup winning campaign with India. The Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman will now take on Rajasthan Royals for Chennai Super Kings – a franchise he represented and led for over a decade.Young India U-19 World Cup-winning captain Ayush Mahatre adds strength to CSK’s top order, while Shiv Dubey will look to carry his T20 World Cup form into the IPL and add muscle in the middle. Matt Henry, Khalil Ahmed and Noor Ahmed form the bowling core.Ryan Prague Started his first full season as Rajasthan Royals captain last year after briefly taking over the leadership duties during Samson’s injury-enforced absence. The Assam all-rounder is now shouldering the responsibility of leading the franchise in search of a new identity.Ravindra JadejaSamson, part of the swap deal, will wear pink this season and lead the spin attack alongside Ravi Bishnoi, while Jofra Archer will lead the pace unit. With Yashvi Jaiswal, Vibhu Suryavanshi, Shimron Hetmyer and Dhruv Jorrell forming the batting core, Royals will hope for a more consistent performance.The numbers game6 – Rajasthan Royals have won six of their last seven against Chennai Super Kings between October 2021 and May 2025. Their only defeat came on 12 May 2024 at Chepauk by five wickets.
