RR Vs CSK LIVE Score, IPL 2026: Burger Strikes Again, Mhatre Caught Behind | RR - 19/3 (3.1)

A brilliant delivery from Nandre Burger and Sanju Samson departs cheaply in his CSK debut. Burger uses the left arm angle, the ball pitches and seams away while Samson plays the line. Gets his offstump clattered and Burger celebrates. Samson was beaten all ends up and Rajasthan Royals strike early. Some quality bowling on display from the South African.

Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma(w), Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed

Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag(c), Dhruv Jurel(w), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma

Toss Update: Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag has won the toss and has opted to field first.

The toss has been delayed to 7:05 IST to give the groundsmen a little more time to prepare the ground conditions following the rain that took place a little while ago. No covers in place now.

The Barsapara Cricket Stadium (also known as the Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Stadium) has earned a reputation as one of India’s most explosive batting venues. For tonight’s RR vs CSK season opener, the conditions are expected to follow this high-scoring trend, though recent weather may add a tactical twist.

The pitch is traditionally flat with true pace and consistent bounce, allowing batters to trust the surface and play through the line. The ball typically comes onto the bat nicely, making it a paradise for stroke-makers. Due to recent rain in Guwahati, the pitch has spent significant time under covers. This moisture, combined with evening humidity, may offer early swing and seam movement for the first 3–4 overs.

Fortunately for the fans, the rain has now stopped and the covers have also come off. It is expected that the toss will go as scheduled and there won't be any change in timings.

Reports suggest that it has been rather gloomy with heavy cloud cover at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati and it has started raining. The covers have come on. It will be a matter to see if the toss starts on time. Here is our weather report for the game.

Shane Watson leads the highest run scorer charts with 711 runs. He is a unique figure in this rivalry, having scored centuries for both franchises (one for RR in 2013 and one for CSK in 2018).

Ravindra Jadeja holds the top spot for wicket takers with 21 wickets. Interestingly, he will be playing for Rajasthan Royals in tonight's match after his high-profile trade from Chennai.

The biggest talking point of the 2026 off-season was the confirmed transfer of Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals to Chennai Super Kings. The move ended Samson’s long-standing association with the Rajasthan franchise, where he served as both captain and their primary batting mainstay

Chennai Super Kings signed Samson for INR 18 crore to take over as their primary wicketkeeper and opening batter. To make the deal work, Rajasthan brought back Ravindra Jadeja—who started his career with the Royals in 2008—along with all-rounder Sam Curran.

The Rajasthan Royals Vs Chennai Super Kings IPL 2026 match live telecast will be available on the Star Sports Network channels. Fans can get live streaming of the match on the JioHotstar mobile app and website.

The last time MS Dhoni missed an IPL match for Chennai Super Kings was April 26, 2019, when he sat out a game against Mumbai Indians due to a fever. Since that 2019 miss, Dhoni had played 93 consecutive matches for the franchise. In his nearly two-decade IPL career, he has missed only five games in total for CSK

Chennai Super Kings will start their 2026 campaign without MS Dhoni, who is ruled out of tonight’s match due to a calf injury. The veteran wicketkeeper sustained the muscle strain during a pre-season training session.

While the CSK medical staff has not confirmed a return date, the injury is a significant blow to the team's tactical core.

Sanju Samson, who spent nearly a decade as the face of the Rajasthan Royals and led them to a final, is making his Chennai debut tonight as their primary wicketkeeper-batter.

Ravindra Jadeja, who is often synonymous with CSK’s success over the last 12 years, is returning to the Rajasthan Royals—the very team where his IPL journey began as an underdog back in 2008

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match 3 will see Rajasthan Royals host Chennai Super Kings at the Barspara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Ahead of that, we welcome you to our live coverage of the match, Stay tuned for score updates, toss updates, playing XI and everything else about the match.