Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium is set for a historic moment as Riyan Parag, the city’s own, captains Rajasthan Royals (RR) for the first time in the IPL. Despite being an occasional home ground for RR since 2023, Guwahati hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for them, with two losses and a washout in their last four matches here. However, Parag’s leadership brings a fresh chapter, one that Assam’s cricket fans are eagerly awaiting.
RR head into this clash with concerns, particularly in their bowling attack. Their last match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) nearly saw them concede the highest IPL total ever. While their retained core—Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer—provided stability with the bat, and rookie Shubham Dubey impressed, RR’s bowling frailties left Parag searching for answers.
Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) come into this match after a disappointing start to their season, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. While their all-rounders offer balance, their seasoned middle and lower-order—Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh—failed to fire in the opener, leading to a below-par finish with the bat.
Both teams will be desperate to fix their flaws and get their first points of the season in what promises to be an intense battle.
RR VS KKR Pitch and weather report
The Barsapara Stadium has proven to be a batting paradise, with multiple high-scoring encounters in the past. India once posted 237 for 3 here, with South Africa replying with 221 for 3 in a T20I. With three IPL scores in the 190s already, Guwahati could witness its first 200-plus IPL total on Wednesday.
The weather is expected to be clear, with no rain threats like the previous RR-KKR clash here. Day temperatures will hover around 33°C, dropping to 20°C at night. Humidity levels could reach 70%, while wind speeds will range between 10-15 km/h.
With an electric atmosphere, a belter of a pitch, and two teams eager for victory, Guwahati is set for a thrilling IPL night.
RR predicted XI
Batting 1st: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Shubham Dubey, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma.
Bowling 1st: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubham Dubey, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Impact Player options: Sanju Samson/Fazalhaq Farooqi, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Kunal Singh Rathore.
KKR predicted XI
Batting 1st: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Bowling 1st: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora.
Impact Player options: Angkrish Raghuvanshi/Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Manish Pandey.
When and where to watch?
The RR vs KKR match will start at 7.30 pm and he toss will take place at 7 pm. The game will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website.