Overview
The five-time Indian Premier League Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a high-voltage encounter in match 3 of the IPL 2026 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Monday, March 30.Â
Both teams are looking to bounce back from their forgettable campaigns in IPL 2025. RR finished ninth in IPL 2025, while CSK ended up with the wooden spoon. They will want to start their campaigns in IPL 2026 strongly. However, only one will prevail at the high-scoring Barsapara Cricket Stadium.
Predicted Impact Players for Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Kartik Sharma: CSK bagged the services of Kartik Sharma for INR 14.20 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction. He is the joint-most expensive uncapped player alongside Prashant Veer. Sharma is expected to play in the lower-order, especially in the absence of MS Dhoni, who has been ruled out for the first two weeks.
Urvil Patel: Urvil Patel played a few enthralling knocks in IPL 2025. He is another wicketkeeper who can tonk the ball and put the opposition bowlers under pressure.
Sarfaraz Khan: If CSK want to go with experience, there is the option of playing Sarfaraz Khan. He is also a phenomenal batter against spin. The Royals have a potent spinner in Ravi Bishnoi in their ranks, and CSK could throw Sarfaraz into the mix to neutralise his threat.
Mukesh Choudhary: The left-arm seamer burst onto the IPL scene a few seasons ago. However, in recent times, injuries and inconsistency have deterred his progress. If CSK wants to bolster their seam attack, they can go ahead with Choudhary, who will be eager to get his IPL career back on track.
IPL 2026: CSK’s strongest predicted XI against RR
Predicted Impact Players for Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Yudhvir Singh Charak: Fresh after winning the Ranji Trophy with Jammu and Kashmir, Yudhvir Singh Charak will be looking to impress the national selectors with his white-ball expertise.
Sandeep Sharma: Sandeep Sharma is not known for his batting, but he can be used as an Impact Player when the Royals come on to bowl. His credentials are well-known, as the right-arm pacer can swing the ball inside the power play and bowl accurate yorkers at the death.
Shubham Dubey: Shubham Dubey is a hard-hitting batter who is yet to live up to his potential in the IPL. However, Sanju Samson’s release has opened up a spot in the top order. If the left-handed batter gets to walk out to bat inside the first 10 overs, he could give himself a bit of time to settle down and then go for the jugular.
Vignesh Puthur: Vignesh Puthur showed glimpses of his talent while playing for the Mumbai Indians last season. The 25-year-old left-arm wrist spinner could play a key role in the middle overs with his uncanny knack of picking up important wickets.
Expert Opinion and Final Prediction
- Home Advantage: While this is a home game for Rajasthan, they might not have too much of an advantage, as they have only played a handful of games at the venue.
- Recent Form: RR have been dominant against CSK in the last five meetings, winning four and losing just one encounter.
- Balanced Side: CSK looks more balanced on paper.
Prediction: Fans can expect a close contest that could go down to the wire. However, CSK can be considered the favourites because they have more in-form players in their setup.
