The finalists of the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) – Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – will renew their rivalry when they meet at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Monday, March 30.
Both teams were involved in one of the biggest trades in IPL history. Sanju Samson shifted to CSK after spending 11 seasons at RR. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran moved to the Pink City. The Royals and Super Kings both had abysmal outings in IPL 2025. While Rajasthan finished ninth on the points table, CSK ended last.
The Men in Yellow will be without their talismanic wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni, as he will miss the first two weeks of the IPL due to a calf strain. However, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad will make his return after missing a major portion of last season’s IPL due to injury.
On the other hand, the Royals will enter a new era with Riyan Parag being named the full-time captain. He has been with the team long enough and has also had the chance to lead them in a few games last season. The youngster will look to lead his team from the front against a strong CSK side.
Barsapara Cricket Stadium: Pitch Report
The Barsapara Cricket Stadium is known to produce high-scoring encounters. The pitches are mostly flat, with not much movement or turn on offer. Bowlers will have to be excellent with their execution to come out unscathed. The average runs in an over in the IPL at this venue is 8.56.Â
IPL Stats and Records at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
| Matches Played |
6 |
| Matches Won Batting First | 3 |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 2 |
| Matches With No Result | 1 |
| Matches Tied | – |
| Average First Innings Score | 146 |
| Highest Team Total | 199/4 |
| Highest Total Successfully Chased |
152 |
RR vs CSK: Strategies and Match-ups
Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings have strong batting lineups, but their bowling attacks are not too formidable, at least on paper. Jofra Archer will spearhead RR’s bowling attacks, while Noor Ahmad will be the bowler to watch out for in the CSK setup.
The head-to-head scoreline is intriguingly poised at 16-15 in favour of the five-time champions. However, past records won’t count for much when the two behemoths of the league cross swords on Monday.
