Why is Sanju Samson not playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026?
Rajasthan Royals begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati, with rain causing only a brief delay despite overcast conditions. RR enter the clash without Sanju Samson, who has moved to CSK, while they bolster their squad with Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
Rajasthan Royals open their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign against Chennai Super Kings at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. Despite the rain around, the toss was pushed only five minutes later. There were overcast clouds over the Barsapra Cricket Stadium; however, the gloomy sky could not prevent the game from taking place.
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Royals are without Sanju Samson, who has moved on from the franchise. Samson was traded to CSK, with the Royals bringing in Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
Samson is now with CSK and is likely to be the successor of MS Dhoni at the franchise, which has a huge fan base. This can also be seen as the passing of the baton from one superstar to another star Samson, who has a big fanbase of his own.
Riyan Parag new skipper of RR
After the IPL 2026 auction, RR named Riyan Parag as their captain. Parag and a few other candidates were interviewed by head coach Kumar Sangakkara, following which Parag was chosen as their skipper. "The night before the [T20 World Cup] warm-up game, I played against USA I got a call from Manoj [Badale] and Sanga [Sangakkara] that said, 'Congratulations, you are the captain.' A lot of emotions and then straight to the matter, like next season, what do we need to change or do better so that we finish in a better place," Parag had said in a video uploaded on RR's social handles.
RR win toss, opt to bowl first against CSK
Parag won the toss and opted to bowl first in Guwahati. With rain around, Parag highlighted that he wants to make the most of the conditions. "We are bowling first. There's been a lot of rain. There's going to be some moisture. It feels nice (to be captaining), the support has been incredible. Hopefully, a good campaign for us. The goal is to win the championship. We tried to have a lot of smart cricketers." Parag said at the toss.
Meanwhile, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad stated that he also wanted to bowl first. "It was a no-brainer to bowl first. Nevertheless, we'd like to start positively. You saw how the last year went for us. We went to the auction with some strategy. Let's hope that they go really well. Our overseas players are Short, Overton, Noor and Matt Henry," Gaikwad said at the toss.
More to follow...