Rajasthan Royals (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore) Aakash Chopra raised questions about Rajasthan Royals playing three of their seven home matches away from Jaipur in Guwahati during the upcoming Indian Premier League season. The former India opener said he finds it difficult to understand the logic behind the franchise moving a large portion of their home matches to a venue that he feels has little historical connection with the team.On his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out the geographical distance between Rajasthan and Assam, claiming that the two regions lie on opposite sides of the country. He hinted that the move was unusual for a team representing Rajasthan, although he acknowledged that current captain Riyan Parag hails from Assam.“Two teams play at home after three matches. One of them is Rajasthan Royals who don’t play at home at all. I never understood their story so far, what kind of system they have. Their home away from home is in Guwahati. All three of their games are in Guwahati. I wonder what their connection is with Guwahati,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.“The team is called Rajasthan Royals. Rajasthan is in the west of India. Guwahati is in the east of India. It is understandable if Kolkata wants to go there because it is their catchment area. You can still understand the Guwahati affiliation because Riyan Parag is now the captain, but this team has nothing to do with Guwahati,” he added in any way.Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently unveiled the first phase schedule for the 2026 IPL season. The tournament will begin on March 28 when defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru host Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.In the second match, Mumbai Indians will face Kolkata Knight Riders. As for Royals, their campaign will begin against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati.
Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 Schedule – Phase One
DateDayMatchDenueTime30 MarMonRajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super KingsGuwahati 7:30 PM4 AprSatGujarat Titans vs Rajasthan RoyalsAhmedabad7:30 PM7 AprTueRajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians:Rajasthan Royals03Guwahati Vs. Royal Challengers BengaluruGuwahati 7:30 p.m
