IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals Hunt First Win Against CSK in Guwahati

Guwahati is set to witness a high-stakes encounter as Rajasthan Royals (RR) take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 11th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Sunday, March 30. With both teams reeling from defeats, the contest promises to be a crucial battle in their early-season campaign.

Desperate for a Turnaround

Rajasthan Royals, led by stand-in captain Riyan Parag, are yet to register their first win of the season after suffering back-to-back losses. Their batting lineup has struggled to find consistency, with Yashasvi Jaiswal failing to hit top form and questions looming over Shimron Hetmyer’s position in the order.

On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings enter the match after a humbling home defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), raising concerns over their team composition. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s batting position remains a talking point, as does MS Dhoni’s surprising late entry at No. 9 in the previous game.

Pitch and Conditions: A Spinners’ Battle?

The Barsapara Cricket Stadium surface is known for its high-scoring potential, with the team batting first likely targeting a total in the 190-200 range. However, with a dry and abrasive pitch, spinners are expected to play a pivotal role. Rajasthan Royals suffered a loss here in their last outing, managing only 151/9, which Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) chased down comfortably in 17.3 overs.

IPL Statistics at Barsapara Cricket Stadium:

Highest Team Score: 199/4 - RR vs DC (2023)

Lowest Team Score: 142/9 - DC vs RR (2023)

RR's Record at Guwahati:

Matches played: 5

Matches won: 1

Matches lost: 3

No Result: 1

Highest Score: 199

Weather Report

According to AccuWeather, temperatures will range between 28°C at the start of the match and drop to 23°C later in the evening. Humidity will hover between 51% and 67%, with negligible chances of rain, ensuring an uninterrupted contest.

Team News and Probable Playing XI

Rajasthan Royals:

Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag (c), Nitish Rana, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma/Kumar Kartikeya

Chennai Super Kings:

Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rahul Tripathi/Vijay Shankar, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Anshul Kamboj, R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana

Key Battles and Talking Points

Riyan Parag Under Pressure: The young captain has struggled with scores of 4 and 25 in his first two games. Playing in front of his home crowd, he will be eager to deliver a defining performance.

Rahul Tripathi’s Struggles: A player with immense IPL experience, Tripathi is yet to fire this season and could face pressure if he fails to perform.

Gaikwad’s Batting Position: Will CSK push their captain back to the opening slot, or persist with Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway at the top?

Spin to Dominate: Theekshana and Hasaranga for RR, along with Ashwin and Noor Ahmad for CSK, could dictate the outcome of the game.

Tactical Adjustments and New Alliances

This fixture also sees familiar faces switching allegiances. Tushar Deshpande, a key pacer for CSK last season, now dons the RR jersey, while Shivam Dube, once with RR, is now a mainstay in CSK’s middle order. Theekshana, CSK’s go-to powerplay bowler, now plays the same role for RR.

Head-to-Head

While CSK has historically been the more dominant force in the IPL, RR has often proven to be a tricky opponent. With both teams desperate to climb the points table, expect a fierce battle under the lights in Guwahati.

As Rajasthan Royals bid farewell to their Guwahati leg of IPL 2025 before heading to away fixtures in Mullanpur and Ahmedabad, they will be desperate to end on a high note. For Chennai Super Kings, the road ahead includes a home fixture against Delhi Capitals before alternating between home and away matches.