Summary of this article
Indian Premier League 2026 begins from March 28
Rajasthan Royals enter a new era without long-time captain Sanju Samson
RR open their campaign against Chennai Super Kings
It's that time of the year again. Summer season means the arrival of world cricket's biggest stars at the Indian Premier League. The T20 format's biggest and richest franchise competition gets underway on March 28.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be locking horns with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the tournament opener at RCB's infamous home turf, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The 2026 edition will be played in two separate phases due to the assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Each of these states host IPL matches every year and so the BCCI has planned things well for a smooth conduct of the tournament.
A total of 20 matches will be played in the first phase from March 28 to April 12, while dates for the second half is expected to be announced soon. The finale will be played on Sunday, May 31.
Indian Premier League 2026: RR Enter A New Era
The Rajasthan Royals are entering a new era in 2026 after a shock move to trade away long-time captain Sanju Samson. Following a lowly 9th place finish in 2025, the management, led by Kumar Sangakkara, has pivoted toward a more all-round heavy structure.
While the fanbase is still reeling from the departure of their icon, the arrival of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran via trades has injected a title winning pedigree into the XI.
In the Abu Dhabi auction, the Royals prioritized specialized roles, securing Ravi Bishnoi for INR 7.20 crore to lead the spin department and adding Kiwi quick Adam Milne for INR 2.40 crore.
The emergence of young power-hitter Vaibhav Suryavanshi at the top alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal remains the most exciting prospect for the Pink Army as they seek their first trophy since 2008.
Indian Premier League 2026: Rajasthan Royals Schedule
March 30: RR Vs CSK (Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati)
April 4: GT Vs RR (Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad)
April 9: RR Vs MI (Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati)
April 10: RR Vs RCB (Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati)
Indian Premier League 2026: Rajasthan Royals Squad
Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Donovan Ferreira, Ravi Bishnoi, Ravi Singh, Sushant Mishra, Vignesh Puthur, Yash Raj Punja, Aman Rao, Brijesh Sharma, Kuldeep Sen, Adam Milne.
