Reincarnated CSK set to face RR in Guwahati:Samson expected to deliver in Dhoni’s absence against his former team

The third match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will be played between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST. Last year, the 18th edition did not end on a positive note for the Chennai Super Kings as they finished at the bottom for the first time in IPL history. The Royals also did not deliver an outstanding performance as they finished in 9th place, just above CSK. However, the franchise found a young hitter in the form of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who could tear apart the opponent’s bowling lineup. This year, the equations have changed, CSK are seemingly moving on from the brand ‘Dhoni’ with Gaikwad at the helm. Meanwhile, Samson will be up against his former franchise, where he spent 11 years of his IPL stint. So, it’ll be worth watching how Riyan Parag led side tackles a much-balanced CSK squad. RR vs CSK: Match details Match info: Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings, Match 3 Date and Time: 30 March, 7:30 PM IST (toss at 7 PM) Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati Where to watch: JioHotstar, Star Sports network and Bhaskar English app RR vs CSK, head-to-head record in IPL Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have had a closely contested rivalry in the IPL over the years. Out of the 31 matches played between the two teams, CSK have a slight edge with 16 wins, while RR have secured 15 victories. Last season, RR won both of the games against CSK. In the first game, which was played on 20 May, Akash Madhwal scalped three, conceding just 29 runs, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi slammed a half-century (57). Meanwhile, in the second match on 30th May, Nitish Rana’s heroics with a brilliant 81 off 36 balls guided Rajasthan to a 6-run victory by defending 183. Also read: MS Dhoni reportedly set to miss six matches: CSK official gives update on Thala’s calf strain Riyan Parag to lead, all eyes on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi After the historic trade with the CSK franchise ahead of the mini-auction, Riyan Parag is set to lead the Rajasthan-based franchise as former skipper Sanju Samson is now a part of the CSK family. He briefly led the side in eight matches last year when Samson was sidelined by injury, managing two wins and six losses as the Rajasthan Royals finished ninth. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be a key player to watch for his explosive opening start and aggressive batting style. However, CSK’s star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja returned to the team where he started his IPL journey. MS Dhoni ruled out for 2 weeks, Gaikwad-Sanju to open for CSK Ahead of the campaign opener, MS Dhoni has been ruled out of IPL 2026 for at least two weeks due to his calf strain injury. In Dhoni’s absence, Sanju Samson will take over the full-time wicket-keeping role in the initial leg (first two weeks) of the tournament. Meanwhile, CSK skipper, Ruturaj Gaikwad, has revealed that he will open the innings this season with Sanju Samson for Chennai. For the Yellow Army, Shivam Dube was the highest run-scorer in 2025, scoring 357 runs in 14 games. With 24 wickets, Noor Ahmad was the highest wicket-taker last season. Barsapara Cricket Stadium, pitch report Barsapara Cricket Stadium is widely regarded as a batting-friendly venue, often witnessing high-scoring games. The surface is generally flat, offering minimal assistance in terms of swing or spin. As a result, bowlers need to be extremely precise with their execution to avoid giving away runs. Guwahati weather report Guwahati is expected to witness overcast conditions on Monday with temperatures around 19°C-27°C. There is a 56% chance of precipitation, so there is a chance that rain might interrupt the game. With winds gushing at 22 km/h, there is even 11% chance that thunderstorms might come into play.