Rain returned as the toss was getting wrapped up, forcing the covers back on at the right moment at the venue. Riyan Parag, captaining Rajasthan Royals, won the toss and chose to field first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with two sides making their way into the match without any changes to their core line-ups. The contest at Guwahati also marks the closing commitment for IPL 2026 at the venue.
Key takeaways
- Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bowl first versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
- Rain affected the toss window and the ground staff brought the covers back on quickly.
- Rajasthan made a bowling adjustment: Tushar Deshpande was replaced by Brijesh Sharma, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi named as the Impact Player.
- RCB welcomed Josh Hazlewood back after a quick recovery and clearance from Cricket Australia, sending Jacob Duffy out of the XI.
- Rajasthan and RCB both entered the match with unchanged main squads, setting up an evenly balanced encounter.
- RCB’s trip to Guwahati is their first away fixture of the season after two strong home wins at M Chinnaswamy.
Rain interrupts the toss as Parag calls to bowl
With the toss nearing completion, heavy drops of rain returned, prompting immediate action from the groundsmen. Covers were brought back on as the officials ensured the proceedings could continue. In the toss result, Parag emerged as the winning captain, and Rajasthan decided to bowl first against Bengaluru.
Parag explained that the dampness in the conditions—along with rain affecting the surface—played a part in his choice. Rajasthan’s XI saw Tushar Deshpande left out, with Brijesh Sharma taking his place in the bowling group. In the Impact Player slot, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was set to be available for use.
RCB reshuffle: Hazlewood returns, Duffy drops out
For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajat Patidar confirmed the return of Josh Hazlewood. The fast bowler came back after recovering quickly and receiving a fitness approval from Cricket Australia. As a result, Jacob Duffy—who had delivered strongly in the two matches leading into this one—had to miss out.
Parag also spoke about mindset and focus, saying the team has been sharp right from the tournament’s start and that they aim to play smart cricket. He added that the earlier games are behind them and that the side must keep adjusting and executing; otherwise, slipping up would cost valuable points.
RCB’s away record and the context of the season
This is Bengaluru’s first match away from home after beginning the campaign with two convincing wins at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. Last year, they proved their strength on the road by winning each of their seven away encounters, a run that eventually carried them to the final. In that title game, they defeated Punjab Kings to win the championship for the first time.
Playing XIs and Impact Players
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (capt), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma
Rajasthan Royals (Impact subs): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Shubham Dubey, Tushar Deshpande
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Impact Subs): Suyash Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Rasikh Salam Dar, Kanishk Chouhan, Venkatesh Iyer
