While Guwahati residents went about their daily routine amid an ongoing tug-of-war with the city’s mosquito population, the mood on Thursday carried an unusual stillness. With close to 85% of eligible voters lining up at polling booths to shape the direction of their future—and that of the state—major roads stayed relatively clear. There was little sign of the usual noise and build-up that often follows the arrival of big-name teams.
That muted atmosphere was perhaps best captured in the stadium itself. Even with two headline visitors—Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians—having been in town over the previous 10 days, the grandstand never quite reached full capacity. Ahead of Friday’s blockbuster, a handful of teenagers still gathered patiently outside the gates, hoping to catch a glimpse of their heroes.
Many of them wore Virat Kohli’s jersey, while a few had opted for Sanju Samson’s colours with equal parts optimism and nostalgia. Yet the star power that fans were chasing did not arrive with the same timing as the expected rain—Thursday evening’s practice session offered no noticeable fireworks from the marquee players. The training ground looked as cold in energy as the streets outside.
Net session without the main stars
The bench group—Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Lhuan-dre Pretorious, Shubham Dubey, and Aman Rao—handled most of the work in the nets. They faced bowling from the net specialists and worked through side-arm throws, spending meaningful time getting their timing right. Meanwhile, several of the key performers either skipped the optional evening session or kept it light with warm-ups on the periphery.
Even so, the fringes produced enough big hits to suggest they can contribute the kind of entertainment fans expect on match days. Still, their impact may be limited when Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru clash on Friday evening, each looking to stake a claim in IPL 2026. For RCB, the aim is to carry forward the momentum from the prior season. For Royals, it is about moving on from what has held them back in the past.
The contest ultimately narrows down to a key storyline: the duel between RCB’s new-ball unit and RR’s top-order. The early signs have been difficult to read, but the battle is set to decide which side gains the first real advantage. Over the last two weeks, both clubs have swapped the lead spot multiple times, sharing the same pressure—especially during periods of unbeaten form that mirror Punjab Kings’ run.
By the end of Friday’s match in Guwahati, only one team will be standing as the day’s leader, and one winning streak will be snapped. That makes this final Guwahati chapter of IPL 2026 feel even more significant—right after which both sides will say goodbye to the tournament and, quite possibly, the mosquitoes too.
At a glance
- When: Friday, April 10, 2026, 7:30 PM IST
- Where: ACA Stadium, Guwahati
- Match: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Weather outlook: No rain forecast during match hours; brief drizzle expected earlier in the day; skies could turn overcast at different times
- Head-to-head: RCB lead 17–14; four wins out of six meetings since 2023
- Key matchup: RCB’s new-ball attack vs RR’s openers
- RCB spin vs RR spin theory: Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma flagged for middle-over control
Weather, pitch mood and what could decide it
This time, there is no expectation of rain during the scheduled hours, though light drizzle may arrive earlier in the day. Even with that improvement, conditions could still shift, with the sky likely to be overcast at moments throughout the game. How that affects grip and swing will matter early, particularly with the new-ball duel in focus.
Over the head-to-head history, RCB hold a narrow advantage of 17–14. Since 2023, they have won four of the six encounters between the two sides, underlining how tight this rivalry has been. Friday’s game is likely to turn on small margins—especially if one side establishes control in the opening overs and then protects it through the middle.
Team news and likely battles
Rajasthan Royals
Injuries/Unavailability: No injuries have been reported.
Tactics & Matchups: Ravi Bishnoi has managed to keep Virat Kohli and Phil Salt fairly well, and he has also troubled Tim David in the past. The leg-spinner is expected to play a role in the Powerplay if RR’s openers survive for long, before being used later to clamp down in the death overs.
Probable XII: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Injuries/Unavailability: At the optional practice session on Thursday, several players chose to skip. However, no injuries have been officially communicated, though Josh Hazlewood’s return date remains unknown.
Tactics & Matchups: Apart from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, since 2022 no batter from Rajasthan Royals has managed a strike rate above 135 against spin in the IPL. Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma are seen as options to deliver the middle-over pressure RR will need to weather.
Probable XII: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma.
Did you know?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has recorded the best Powerplay strike rate by any batter in the IPL since 2025. His strike rate of 227.35 in that phase stands far above the next-best mark—Priyansh Arya’s 180.46. Ravi Bishnoi’s season has produced a distinctive pattern too: six of his seven wickets have come via a googly.
There is also a notable contrast in the way he concedes when he bowls the wrong ‘un compared to his quicker deliveries and legbreaks, with the rate nearly halved. And in T20s, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has faced Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel across 85 balls without dismissing any of them, while conceding 161 runs in the process.
What they said
RCB batter Devdutt Padikkal spoke about his T20 improvement, saying he has been working actively on raising his strike rate and is pleased the behind-the-scenes work is now showing up in results.
Rajasthan Royals bowling coach Shane Bond added that winning is always enjoyable, but the competition still has a long way to go. He hopes the team can maintain the consistency they have shown and believes that if they do, they will be difficult to beat.
