Due to the BCCI’s announcement of the first match date and the full schedule of the first 20 matches, the 2026 IPL season has officially begun, generating excitement among fans. The largest T20 league in the globe will start its 19th season on March 28.
The Rajasthan Royals, the team’s first champions, are pursuing their second championship and entering a new chapter in their history. Sanju Samson, who joined the Chennai Super Kings following a high-profile deal, has been replaced as captain by Riyan Parag. Rahul Dravid departed the team after their disappointing 2025 season, and Kumar Sangakkara has returned as head coach. The squad has also named a new captain.
The Royals will play their first game of the season on March 30 against the Chennai Super Kings, and their fans want to watch how the team performs with its new squad.
In the tournament’s third game, the Royals will play CSK to start the 2026 season. Guwahati, one of their designated home stadiums, will host the game. Their main objective is to place in the top four, which will allow them to qualify for the playoffs and compete in the championship game.
The squad has previously stated that three of its four games will be played in Guwahati during the season’s initial phase. Due to having the same number of points as the Chennai Super Kings in last place, the Royals ended the previous season in ninth position on the points table. Despite winning four of their fourteen league games, the club was unable to establish any winning streaks throughout the season.
After the squad’s most disastrous season, the franchise began a whole team makeover. The squad made a big transaction when it acquired Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja from the five-time champions and sent former captain Sanju Samson to CSK.
| Match no. | Teams | Date & Time | Venue |
| 3 | RR vs CSK | March 30, 7:30 PM | Guwahati |
| 9 | GT vs RR | April 4, 7:30 PM | Ahmedabad |
| 13 | RR vs MI | April 7, 7:30 PM | Guwahati |
| 16 | RR vs RCB | April 10, 7:30 PM | Guwahati |
Through their auction activities, which went beyond their trade operations, the management committed themselves to building a stronger bowling unit. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, who had previously played for both the Punjab Kings and the Lucknow Super Giants, was the team’s biggest signing at the mini auction. He was purchased by the franchise for ₹7.20 crore.
Adam Milne, a pacer, was added to the team’s squad, which already included Bishnoi and had limited openings for foreign players. The team’s Indian players included Yash Raj Punja, Brijesh Sharma, Kuldeep Sen, and Sushant Mishra.
Vignesh Puthur, a former spinner for the Mumbai Indians, is added to the spin department, which already consists of Jadeja and Bishnoi. He takes the place of players the team released prior to the auction, such as Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana. The Railways lineup adds a powerful hitter who will bolster the team’s current batting order, which currently consists of well-established players.
The club let go of Indian fast bowler Akash Madhwal and Afghan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, two key players from their previous roster.
Rajasthan Royals squad for IPL 2026:
Riyan Parag(c), Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Donovan Ferreira, Sandeep Sharma, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Vignesh Puthur, Ravi Singh, Aman Rao, Brijesh Sharma, Adam Milne, Kuldeep Sen.
Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 FAQ
Q1: When does the Rajasthan Royals start their IPL 2026 campaign?
A1: Rajasthan Royals will play their first match of IPL 2026 on March 30 against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati.
Q2: Who is the captain of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026?
A2: Riyan Parag has been appointed as the new captain, replacing Sanju Samson who moved to Chennai Super Kings.
Q3: Who is the head coach of Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2026?
A3: Kumar Sangakkara has returned as the head coach after the team parted ways with Rahul Dravid following IPL 2025.
Q4: What is the main goal of Rajasthan Royals this season?
A4: The Royals aim to finish in the top four during the league stage to qualify for the playoffs and compete for the IPL 2026 championship.
Q5: Where will Rajasthan Royals play their home matches in IPL 2026?
A5: In the initial phase, three out of four matches for the Royals will be played at their home stadium in Guwahati.
Q6: How did Rajasthan Royals perform in IPL 2025?
A6: Rajasthan Royals finished ninth on the points table, winning 4 out of 14 games, and struggled to establish any consistent winning streaks.
Q7: When does IPL 2026 officially begin?
A7: IPL 2026 will officially begin on March 28, marking the 19th season of the tournament.
