The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League 2026 is underway, with Rajasthan Royals (RR) set to face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Match No. 3 at the Baraspara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Monday, March 30. Both teams will be eager to bounce back after disappointing campaigns last season, where they finished at the lower end of the points table.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, the two franchises were involved in a major trade deal. CSK acquired Sanju Samson for INR 18 crore, while RR brought in Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. However, Curran has been ruled out, with Dasun Shanaka named as his replacement.
RR boast an exciting young core featuring Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, and Yudhvir Singh. Their overseas strength includes Shimron Hetmyer, Shanaka, and Jofra Archer, making them a well-balanced unit.
CSK, meanwhile, will miss the services of MS Dhoni, who is sidelined for two weeks due to a calf strain. They have invested heavily in young talents Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma, while also adding experienced players like Sarfaraz Khan, Matt Henry, Zakary Foulkes, Rahul Chahar, Akeal Hosein, Matt Short, and Spencer Johnson. With a solid core led by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, alongside Dewald Brevis, Noor Ahmad, Jamie Overton, Shivam Dube, Anshul Kamboj, and Khaleel Ahmed, CSK will aim to start their campaign on a winning note.
Both teams will be determined to leave behind last season’s struggles and build momentum early in IPL 2026.
Here are the important upcoming milestones for players of both teams:
RR Players’ Upcoming Milestones
Yashasvi Jaiswal: Needs 8 sixes to reach 100 sixes in IPL
Riyan Parag: Needs 5 catches to reach 50 catches in IPL
Shimron Hetmyer: Needs 7 sixes to reach 100 sixes in IPL
Shimron Hetmyer: Needs 5 catches to reach 50 catches in IPL
Ravindra Jadeja: Needs 4 boundaries to complete 300 fours in T20s
Sandeep Sharma: Needs 4 wickets to reach 150 wickets in IPL
CSK Players’ Upcoming Milestones
Sanju Samson: Needs 4 sixes to reach 400 sixes in T20s
Ruturaj Gaikwad: Needs 5 sixes to reach 100 sixes in IPL
Noor Ahmad: Needs 2 wickets to reach 50 wickets in IPL
