Picture Credit: BCCI
Rajasthan Royals secured the toss and chose to field first against Chennai Super Kings in the third match of the Indian Premier League 2026 at Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Monday.
A short spell of drizzle pushed the toss back by a few minutes, after which officials removed the covers to begin the match proceedings.
Riyan Parag officially started his stint as Rajasthan Royals’ full-time captain in this fixture. Following the toss, he named key overseas players such as Jofra Archer and Shimron Hetmyer, while placing Donovan Ferreira among the impact substitutes.
He pointed out that damp conditions and cloud cover influenced his decision, adding that the team would look to take advantage of any early assistance for bowlers.
The Royals included Bengal fast bowler Brijesh Sharma in the playing XI, handing him his first IPL appearance after he impressed during the previous season’s Bengal T20 competition. Parag expressed confidence in the squad’s flexibility, stressing that the team has players capable of adjusting to varying pitch conditions.
He also described his journey with the franchise as rewarding, noting that leading the side marks a significant milestone in his career.
Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad confirmed his team’s overseas lineup, which features Matthew Short, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, and Matt Henry.
Although he acknowledged that bowling first would have been ideal, Gaikwad stated that his side is prepared to begin strongly with the bat. He added that the team focused on assembling a well-rounded squad during the auction.
Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed. Impact Substitutes: Sarfaraz Khan, Prashant Veer, Rahul Chahar, Gurjapneet Singh, Ramakrishna Ghosh
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag (captain), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma. Impact Substitutes: Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Sushant Mishra, Tushar Deshpande
Cloudy skies and a slightly damp surface are likely to assist bowlers in the opening overs. Both teams will look to adapt quickly to the conditions as they prepare for a competitive encounter.
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