Rajasthan Royals (RR) kickstart their IPL 2026 campaign with a fresh leadership group and a schedule packed with intriguing storylines. For the first time, Riyan Parag will lead the side after the franchise made a bold call to trade longtime captain Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. The season opener for RR on March 30 instantly grabs attention, as Parag begins his captaincy journey against his predecessor, adding an emotional and competitive edge to the contest.

One of the unique aspects of RR’s campaign this season is their split home schedule. The team will start by playing three home games at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, facing CSK, Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 7 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 10. These early matches give RR a chance to build momentum in front of a passionate northeastern crowd. After this phase, they shift back to their traditional base at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, where they will host key fixtures against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Delhi Capitals (DC), Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

However, the journey won’t be smooth throughout. After their opening home stretch, RR face a challenging run of away matches in mid-April. They travel to Hyderabad on April 13, followed by tough encounters in Kolkata against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 19 and Lucknow on April 22. This phase will test the team’s resilience, especially as they adjust to different conditions and venues before finally returning to Jaipur. Adding to the challenge, RR will play two afternoon matches – against KKR on April 19 and against MI on May 24 – both starting at 3:30 PM IST. Handling the heat and pitch variations in these games will be crucial.

Heading into the season, RR boast a balanced squad featuring emerging talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal alongside experienced match-winners such as Jadeja, Curran, Jofra Archer and Shimron Hetmyer. With a new captain at the helm and a favourable finish to their schedule, the Royals will be aiming to turn potential into performance in IPL 2026.

Also READ: SWOT analysis of Rajasthan Royals – RR’s report card ahead of IPL 2026

RR Full IPL 2026 Schedule

• March 30 – Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings – Guwahati – 7:30PM IST
• April 4 – Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals – Ahmedabad – 7:30PM IST
• April 7 – Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians – Guwahati – 7:30PM IST
• April 10 – Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Guwahati – 7:30PM IST
• April 13 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals – Hyderabad – 7:30PM IST
• April 19 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals – Kolkata – 3:30PM IST
• April 22 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals – Lucknow – 7:30PM IST
• April 25 – Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – Jaipur – 7:30PM IST
• April 28 – Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals – New Chandigarh – 7:30PM IST
• May 1 – Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals – Jaipur – 7:30PM IST
• May 9 – Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans – Jaipur – 7:30PM IST
• May 17 – Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals – Delhi – 7:30PM IST
• May 19 – Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants – Jaipur – 7:30PM IST
• May 24 – Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals – Mumbai – 3:30PM IST

Note: IST= GMT+ 5:30 hrs

Also READ: IPL – Complete list of all Rajasthan Royals (RR) captains so far ft. Riyan Parag and Sanju Samson

For latest cricket news & updates, visit CricketTimes.com.