Rajasthan Royals' Secondary Home Ground - Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati

Apart from Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, Rajasthan Royals has also been using Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati as their secondary home venue since 2023. This Guwahati stadium is also known as Assam Cricket Association Stadium. In the IPL 2025,  Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati will host two home matches for Rajasthan Royals. 

Recent matches played by RR at Barsapara Cricket Stadium

• IPL 2024 League Match: RR vs KKR - No Result

• IPL 2024 League Match: RR vs PBKS - Punjab Kings won by 5 wickets

• IPL 2023 League Match: RR vs DC - Hosts Rajasthan Royals won by 57 runs

Rajasthan Royals' IPL 2025 Home Matches at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

How to Buy Tickets for RR Matches at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati

(All the following information about IPL 2025 tickets is only expected. The actual information will be updated once the official statements)

Online Booking:

• Available on BookMyShow, PayTM Insider, and the Rajasthan Royals official website.
• Select your match, choose your seats, and make the payment.

Offline Purchase:

• Offline tickets may be available at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium box office and selected retail outlets.

Ticket Prices (Estimated):

• INR 1200-1900 (General Seats)
• INR 2000-2500 (Middle Tier Seats)
• INR 3500 (Lower Tier Seats)
• INR 7000 (Corporate Seats) 

Rajasthan Royals' Home Ground - Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur

The inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals have been using Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur as their home venue since the first edition of the tournament. The venue is once again ready to host the IPL 2025, as Sawai Mansingh Stadium will host five out of seven home games of Rajasthan Royals. 

Recent matches played by RR at Sawai Mansingh Stadium

• IPL 2024 League Match: RR vs MI - Hosts Rajasthan Royals won by 9 wickets

• IPL 2024 League Match: RR vs GT - Gujarat Titans won by 3 wickets

• IPL 2024 League Match: RR vs RCB - Hosts Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets

Rajasthan Royals' IPL 2025 Home Matches at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

How to Buy Tickets for RR Matches at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur

(All the following information about IPL 2025 tickets is only expected. The actual information will be updated once the official statements)

Online Booking:

• Available on BookMyShow, PayTM Insider, and the Rajasthan Royals official website.
• Select your match, choose your seats, and make the payment.

Offline Purchase:

• Offline tickets may be available at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium box office and selected retail outlets.

Ticket Prices (Estimated):

• INR 500-900 (General Seats)
• INR 1000-3000 (Mid-Range Seats)
• INR 4000-15000 (Premium Seats)
• INR 19000 (VIP Seats) 

Inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals are desperate to bring back their shining moments. The IPL 2022 runners-up Rajasthan Royals finished their IPL 2024 journey in Qualifier 2, where they lost against SunRisers Hyderabad. Let’s check RR’s top buy in the auction, full squad, and completed squad for the IPL 2025.   

Rajasthan Royals (RR) Top Buys at IPL 2025 Auction

• Jofra Archer (INR 12.50 crore): Barbadian-English pace-bowling all-rounder Jofra Archer is known for his lethal pace deliveries. 
• Tushar Deshpande (INR 6.50 crore): Indian right-arm pacer Tushar Deshpande is popular for his variety in bowling which helps him to take wickets.
• Wanindu Hasaranga (INR 5.25 crore): Sri Lankan cricketer Wanindu Hasaranga dominated with the ball and also likes to score useful runs with the bat. 
• Maheesh Theekshana (INR 4.40 crore): Sri Lankan off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana is another strong spin bowling name.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) Full Squad for IPL 2025

Rajasthan Royals (RR) IPL 2025 Complete Schedule

March 23: SunRisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals at Hyderabad (15:30 IST)

March 26: Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders at Guwahati (19:30 IST)

March 30: Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings at Guwahati (19:30 IST)

April 5: Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals at Mullanpur (19:30 IST)

April 9: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals at Ahmedabad (19:30 IST)

April 13: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Jaipur (15:30 IST)

April 16: Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals at Delhi (19:30 IST)

April 19: Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants at Jaipur (19:30 IST)

April 24: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals at Bengaluru (19:30 IST)

April 28: Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans at Jaipur (19:30 IST)

May 1: Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians at Jaipur (19:30 IST)

May 4: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals at Kolkata (15:30 IST)

May 12: Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals at Chennai (19:30 IST)

May 16: Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings at Jaipur (19:30 IST)

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is the most highly anticipated cricket league all over the world. With major teams and cricket players participating to win the glamorous trophy, IPL 2025 will be a thrilling season.

• Organizer: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
• Edition: 18th season of IPL
• Total Teams: 10
• Match Format: T20 (20 overs per side)
• Number of Matches: Expected to be around 74
• Venues: Multiple cities across India
• Start Date: March 22
• Final Date:  May 25
• Official Broadcasters: Star Sports, JioHotstar (for digital streaming)

Participating Teams in ipl 2025

1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) - Captain: Ruturaj Gaikwad
2. Mumbai Indians (MI) - Captain: Hardik Pandya
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) - Captain: Rajat Patidar
4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) - Captain: TBD
5. Delhi Capitals (DC) - Captain: TBD
6. Rajasthan Royals (RR) - Captain: Sanju Samson
7. Punjab Kings (PBKS) - Captain: Shreyas Iyer
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) - Captain: Pat Cummins
9. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) - Captain: Rishabh Pant
10. Gujarat Titans (GT) - Captain: Shubman Gill

IPL 2025 SCHEDULE:

• 22-Mar-25 (Sat) 7:30 PM - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Kolkata)
• 23-Mar-25 (Sun) 3:30 PM - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals (Hyderabad)
• 23-Mar-25 (Sun) 7:30 PM - Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians (Chennai)
• 24-Mar-25 (Mon) 7:30 PM - Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants (Visakhapatnam)
• 25-Mar-25 (Tue) 7:30 PM - Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings (Ahmedabad)
• 26-Mar-25 (Wed) 7:30 PM - Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Guwahati)
• 27-Mar-25 (Thu) 7:30 PM - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants (Hyderabad)
• 28-Mar-25 (Fri) 7:30 PM - Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Chennai)
• 29-Mar-25 (Sat) 7:30 PM - Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians (Ahmedabad)
• 30-Mar-25 (Sun) 3:30 PM - Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Visakhapatnam)
• 30-Mar-25 (Sun) 7:30 PM - Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings (Guwahati)
• 31-Mar-25 (Mon) 7:30 PM - Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Mumbai)

APRIL:

• 01-Apr-25 (Tue) 7:30 PM - Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings (Lucknow)
• 02-Apr-25 (Wed) 7:30 PM - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans (Bengaluru)
• 03-Apr-25 (Thu) 7:30 PM - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Kolkata)
• 04-Apr-25 (Fri) 7:30 PM - Lucknow Super Giants vs Mumbai Indians (Lucknow)
• 05-Apr-25 (Sat) 3:30 PM - Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals (Chennai)
• 05-Apr-25 (Sat) 7:30 PM - Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (New Chandigarh)
• 06-Apr-25 (Sun) 3:30 PM - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants (Kolkata)
• 06-Apr-25 (Sun) 7:30 PM - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Titans (Hyderabad)
• 07-Apr-25 (Mon) 7:30 PM - Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Mumbai)
• 08-Apr-25 (Tue) 7:30 PM - Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings (New Chandigarh)
• 09-Apr-25 (Wed) 7:30 PM - Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals (Ahmedabad)
• 10-Apr-25 (Thu) 7:30 PM - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals (Bengaluru)
• 11-Apr-25 (Fri) 7:30 PM - Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Chennai)
• 12-Apr-25 (Sat) 3:30 PM - Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans (Lucknow)
• 12-Apr-25 (Sat) 7:30 PM - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings (Hyderabad)
• 13-Apr-25 (Sun) 3:30 PM - Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Jaipur)
• 13-Apr-25 (Sun) 7:30 PM - Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians (Delhi)
• 15-Apr-25 (Tue) 7:30 PM - Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals (Lucknow)
• 16-Apr-25 (Wed) 7:30 PM - Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders (New Chandigarh)
• 17-Apr-25 (Thu) 7:30 PM - Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans (Delhi)
• 18-Apr-25 (Fri) 7:30 PM - Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Mumbai)
• 19-Apr-25 (Sat) 3:30 PM - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings (Bengaluru)
• 19-Apr-25 (Sat) 7:30 PM - Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals (Ahmedabad)
• 20-Apr-25 (Sun) 3:30 PM - Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants (Jaipur)
• 20-Apr-25 (Sun) 7:30 PM - Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (New Chandigarh)
• April 20, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Mumbai Indians vs. Chennai Super Kings (Mumbai)
• April 21, 2025 (Monday, 7:30 PM) – Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Gujarat Titans (Kolkata)
• April 22, 2025 (Tuesday, 7:30 PM) – Lucknow Super Giants vs. Delhi Capitals (Lucknow)
• April 23, 2025 (Wednesday, 7:30 PM) – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Mumbai Indians (Hyderabad)
• April 24, 2025 (Thursday, 7:30 PM) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Rajasthan Royals (Bengaluru)
• April 25, 2025 (Friday, 7:30 PM) – Chennai Super Kings vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad (Chennai)
• April 26, 2025 (Saturday, 7:30 PM) – Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Punjab Kings (Kolkata)
• April 27, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Mumbai Indians vs. Lucknow Super Giants (Mumbai)
• April 28, 2025 (Monday, 7:30 PM) – Delhi Capitals vs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Delhi)
• April 29, 2025 (Tuesday, 7:30 PM) – Rajasthan Royals vs. Gujarat Titans (Jaipur)
• April 30, 2025 (Wednesday, 7:30 PM) – Delhi Capitals vs. Kolkata Knight Riders (Delhi)

MAY:

• May 1, 2025 (Thursday, 7:30 PM) – Chennai Super Kings vs. Punjab Kings (Chennai)
• May 2, 2025 (Friday, 7:30 PM) – Rajasthan Royals vs. Mumbai Indians (Jaipur)
• May 3, 2025 (Saturday, 7:30 PM) – Gujarat Titans vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad (Ahmedabad)
• May 4, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Gujarat Titans (Bengaluru)
• May 5, 2025 (Monday, 7:30 PM) – Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Rajasthan Royals (Kolkata)
• May 6, 2025 (Tuesday, 7:30 PM) – Punjab Kings vs. Lucknow Super Giants (Dharamsala)
• May 7, 2025 (Wednesday, 7:30 PM) – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Delhi Capitals (Hyderabad)
• May 8, 2025 (Thursday, 7:30 PM) – Mumbai Indians vs. Gujarat Titans (Mumbai)
• May 9, 2025 (Friday, 7:30 PM) – Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Chennai Super Kings (Kolkata)
• May 10, 2025 (Saturday, 7:30 PM) – Punjab Kings vs. Delhi Capitals (Dharamsala)
• May 11, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Lucknow Super Giants vs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Lucknow)
• May 12, 2025 (Monday, 7:30 PM) – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Kolkata Knight Riders (Hyderabad)
• May 13, 2025 (Tuesday, 7:30 PM) – Punjab Kings vs. Mumbai Indians (Dharamsala)
• May 14, 2025 (Wednesday, 7:30 PM) – Delhi Capitals vs. Gujarat Titans (Delhi)
• May 15, 2025 (Thursday, 7:30 PM) – Chennai Super Kings vs. Rajasthan Royals (Chennai)
• May 16, 2025 (Friday, 7:30 PM) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad (Bengaluru)
• May 17, 2025 (Saturday, 7:30 PM) – Gujarat Titans vs. Lucknow Super Giants (Ahmedabad)
• May 18, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Mumbai Indians vs. Delhi Capitals (Mumbai)
• May 19, 2025 (Monday, 7:30 PM) – Rajasthan Royals vs. Punjab Kings (Jaipur)
• May 20, 2025 (Tuesday, 7:30 PM) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Kolkata Knight Riders (Bengaluru)
• May 21, 2025 (Wednesday, 7:30 PM) – Qualifier 1 (Ahmedabad)
• May 22, 2025 (Thursday, 7:30 PM) – Eliminator (Hyderabad)
• May 24, 2025 (Saturday, 7:30 PM) – Qualifier 2 (Kolkata)
• May 25, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Final (Kolkata)

IPL 2025 Highest Auction:

• Rishabh Pant:27 cr
• Shreyas Iyer:26.75
• Venkatesh Iyer:23.75
• Vaibhav Suryavanshi:1.1(Debue)

Major Highlights of 2025:

• Impact Player Rule Refining: The 2023 IPL rule is set to be made more flexible with modifications to include more strategic substitution.
  
• Venue Expansion: New locations can be incorporated into the host venue list to increase IPL's fan base all over India.
  
• DRS Rule Improvements: Enhanced technology and more review choices can be implemented to reduce errors made by umpires.
  
• Focus on Emerging Players: Franchises are acquiring young players with development programs and scouting programs.
  
• Salary Cap Hike: The BCCI is likely to hike the purse limit of franchises so that larger bids are possible in auctions.

ALSO READ:CSK vs MI at Chepauk: The Ultimate IPL Rivalry Set for March 23?

IPL 2025 SQUADS:

RCB: Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee, and Suyash Sharma.

CSK:Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Andre Siddarth, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Deepak Hooda, Rachin Ravindra, Vijay Shankar, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni, Vansh Bedi, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Gurjapneet Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Shreyas Gopal.

KKR:Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Pannu, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Harpreet Brar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Josh Inglis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Sen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur.

MI:Hardik Pandya (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Bevon-John Jacobs, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Naman Dhir, Vignesh Puthur, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton, Shrijith Krishnan, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Reece Topley, Lizaad Williams, Arjun Tendulkar, Karn Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ashwani Kumar, Satyanarayana Raju.

DC:KL Rahul, Harry Brook, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Karun Nair, Faf du Plessis, Donovan Ferreira, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, L Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Mandal, Darshan Nalkande, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav.

RR:Sanju Samson (Captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Wanindu Hasaranga, Nitish Rana, Yudhvir Singh, Dhruv Jurel, Kunal Singh Rathore, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Ashok Sharma, Kwena Maphaka.

PBKS:Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Pannu, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Harpreet Brar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Josh Inglis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Sen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur.

SRH:Pat Cummins (Captain), Travis Head, Abhinav Manohar, Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, Aniket Verma, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kamindu Mendis, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga, Brydon Carse, Jaydev Unadkat, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, Zeeshan Ansari.

LSG:Rishabh Pant (Captain), David Miller, Aiden Markram, Aryan Juyal, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Arshin Kulkarni, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, M Siddharth, Akash Deep.

GT:Shubman Gill (Captain), Jos Buttler, Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Phillips, B. Sai Sudharsan, M. Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Mahipal Lomror, Jayant Yadav, Karim Janat, Arshad Khan, Gurnoor Brar, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, M. Prasidh Krishna, Gerald Coetzee, R. Sai Kishore, Ishant Sharma.

Indian cricketer Riyan Parag finally broke his silence on the viral YouTube search history controversy in a chat on the City 1060 podcast, a popular Instagram trend.explosive batsman of Rajasthan Royals had become the talking point on social media last year when a screenshot of his YouTube search suggestions went viral.

The Viral Controversy
The issue initiated when it was alleged that the YouTube search history of Parag was searching for Bollywood actresses. The screenshot caught fire and, with mixed reactions, became a meme across the social media circles. Some were laughing about the incident, and others were talking about how can a personal moment become a subject of discussion across the public domains.

Defense from Riyan Parag
On the podcast, Parag recalled the details of what transpired during the incident. According to him, it was after an IPL match, streaming with his friends on Discord. "We were in Chennai, finished the match, and got on a Discord call with my team for streaming," he said.. He also clarified that one of his Discord teammates attempted to frame him before the IPL, but the content was removed quickly.

 

 

 

 

 

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"I Didn't Even Know What Was Going On"
Parag revealed that the end of the IPL season was the time he streamed, and he went to YouTube Music to look for songs. "I didn't have Spotify or Apple Music back then so everything was wiped out. I was just browsing for music, and I had no idea what was happening," he added.

ALSO READ:Chhattisgarh T20 League: A Gateway for Young Cricket Talent

Comment on Instagram
Clips from City 1060 podcast have circulated widely on Instagram, reigniting the discussions around the incident. Fans appreciated the candid response given by Parag, and there were many defenders of him claiming that the situation was blown way out of proportion.

English seamer Saqib Mahmood has been one of the few amongst the visitors to impress in their ongoing limited-overs tour of India so far. The Birmingham-born speedster, known to touch 145 kmph, is renowned for getting the ball to reverse, but has been unable to display this skill due to the paucity of time.
While he has, in the past, concentrated on red-ball cricket, having rejected an IPL offer in 2022 to concentrate on his Test career, a white-ball contract with Lancashire recently might mean he is now available for T20 leagues, including the IPL. With that in mind, here are three teams that could go after Saqib Mahmood in the upcoming IPL auction.

1.Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

Build the feared bowling attack that is going to be unstoppable Mahmood’s knowledge could perhaps be most by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who don’t have any overseas seamers beyond the young Shamar Joseph from West Indies. While Joseph is a new-ball specialist, Mahmood would have been the one who gives accuracy along with an all-round package.

Why LSG should consider Mahmood?
Mahmood LSG pacer aimed to get in the mix:  Mahmood is a good paceman for sure, with no other regular overseas seamer in LSG.
Mahmood would give tremendous variety and balance restricting the powerful Indian seamers such as Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Akash Deep, and Mohsin Khan.
Only Ravi Bishnoi even has serious IPL experience in LSG's bowling attack and their pace department looks very green.
Lucknow Super Giants, with Mahmood in the lineup, would have one of the worst pace attacks and would not lead them to the good part of the season. 

2.Rajasthan Royals (RR) – Strength to the Fast Bowling Unit
The Rajasthan Royals have always been a team which seeks youth and emerging talent. Mahmood would be the perfect fit for their fast bowling unit. They have some great bowling assets already, such as Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna. But they might need another express pacer who can provide breakthroughs both in the powerplay and the death overs.

Why RR May Go For Mahmood?
With Boult aging and probably playing selective matches, RR needs a backup strike bowler.
Mahmood generates sharp bounce and movement. That makes him a good choice.
RR play half their games at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium where pacers get some help with the new ball.
If Rajasthan Royals can manage to get his services, then Mahmood would prove to be a deadly combination with their current quicks and their bowling line-up would look all the more dangerous.

ALSO READ:Rashid Khan Matches Dwayne Bravo’s T20 Wicket Record, Enters Elite Club

3. Punjab Kings
Had Mahmood been picked by the Punjab Kings in the auction held in November 2024, they may not have gone for the Australian Xavier Bartlett. And this may not have been a bad decision, given that Mahmood has much more experience in international cricket than the Brisbane Heat's Bartlett.

With Lockie Ferguson the second overseas seamer and Arshdeep Singh a leader of the attack, Mahmood would have enjoyed being a part of the PBKS. The pitches in PCA Stadium at Mohali as well as the new one at Mullanpur do encourage pace and carry, and this would have been music to Mahmood's ears.

The inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) had some great moments in the last three IPL seasons. After failing to advance to the playoffs in three straight seasons, the Royals finished as the runners-up in the IPL 2022, where they lost against the season debutant Gujarat Titans. In two out of the last three IPL seasons, the Royals qualified for the playoffs.  

Rajasthan Royals retained six players, five capped and one uncapped, and deducted INR 79 crore from the purse. It meant that they could use the remaining INR 41 crore in the mega auction. 

See Also: Dravid reflects on his return to IPL Auction after 8 years

Rajasthan Royals: Key additions from the mega auction

Rajasthan Royals brought back the English fast bowler Jofra Archer, which cost them INR 12.50 crore. They have signed players like Tushar Deshpande, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Nitish Rana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, etc. 

RR Full Squad

Batters: Yashasvi Jaiswal (retained), Shimron Hetmyer (retained/Guyanese), Nitish Rana, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Wicketkeepers: Sanju Samson (retained), Dhruv Jurel (retained), Kunal Singh Rathore

All-rounders: Riyan Parag (retained), Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lankan), Yudhvir Singh 

Spinners: Maheesh Theeksana (Sri Lankan), Kumar Kartikeya

Pacers: Sandeep Sharma (retained), Jofra Archer (English), Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afghan), Kwena Maphaka (South African), Akash Madhwal, Tushar Deshpande, Ashok Sharma

Brief SWOT analysis

Rajasthan Royals have retained strong batters, but excluding the English white-ball captain Jos Buttler. Buttler was an inspiring point for the team's batting line-up, and it is still not understandable why the team released Buttler despite his presence for the IPL 2025. However, Jaiswal, Hetmyer, Samson, Jurel, Riyan, etc. are some strong names in the present batting lineup. 

Royals’ pace and spin bowling options are really strong with some good alternative names. Overall, Rajasthan Royals can be a strong team for the IPL 2025. 

RR Best possible XI for IPL 2025

Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Nitish Rana, Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tushar Deshpande

Inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals (RR), who also finished as the runners-up in the IPL 2022, were eliminated from the Qualifier 2 at the IPL 2024. 

RR started the IPL 2025 mega auction with a remaining purse of 41 crore, after retaining six players, five capped and one uncapped, for INR 79 crore.

Rajasthan Royals spent INR 12.50 crore for the Barbados-born English star pacer Jofra Archer. They also bought the players, like Tushar Deshpande, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Nitish Rana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, etc. 

SEE ALSO: Dravid reflects on his return to IPL Auction after 8 years

Pre Auction Retentions

(Capped)

Sanju Samson (Indian): INR 18 Crore

Yashasvi Jaiswal (Indian): INR 18 Crore

Riyan Parag (Indian): INR 14 Crore

Dhruv Jurel (Indian): INR 14 Crore

Shimron Hetmyer (Guyanese): INR 11 Crore

(Uncapped)

Sandeep Sharma (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

None

Mega Auction Buys

Jofra Archer (English): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 12.50 crore

Tushar Deshpande (Indian): Base price INR 1 crore – Bid won INR 6.50 crore

Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lankan): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 5.25 crore

Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lankan): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 4.40 crore

Nitish Rana (Indian): Base price INR 1.50 crore – Bid won INR 4.20 crore

Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afghanistan): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 2 crore

Kwena Maphaka (South African): Base price INR 75 lakh – Bid won INR 1.50 crore

Akash Madhwal (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 1.20 crore

Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 1.10 crore

Shubham Dubey (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 80 lakh

Yudhvir Singh (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 35 lakh

Kunal Singh Rathore (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Ashok Sharma (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Kumar Kartikeya (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Full Squad

Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Nitish Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Kwena Maphaka, Kunal Rathore, Ashok Sharma

Best Playing XI

Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Nitish Rana, Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tushar Deshpande

One-time IPL champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) have announced their retained players for the IPL 2025 season. 

Rajasthan Royals stunned the cricket fans by winning the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the 2008 edition. Before resetting their tough and challenging image in recent years, the Royals hugely struggled. 

In the last three seasons, Rajasthan Royals reached the playoffs for two seasons, including the IPL 2024, where they were eliminated from the Qualifier 2. In the IPL 2022, the Royals reached the final and lost against the tournament debutant Gujarat Titans to finish as the runners-up. 

Sanju Samson has been leading Rajasthan Royals since the 2021 edition. Under his captaincy, the Royals are growing strongly. 

Rajasthan Royals player retention

Rajasthan Royals spent INR 79 crore to retain six players. They retained five capped players and one uncapped player. Now, they can use the remaining INR 41 crore to fill up the squad at the mega auction.

(Capped)

Sanju Samson (Indian): INR 18 Crore

Yashasvi Jaiswal (Indian): INR 18 Crore

Riyan Parag (Indian): INR 14 Crore

Dhruv Jurel (Indian): INR 14 Crore

Shimron Hetmyer (Guyanese): INR 11 Crore

(Uncapped)

Sandeep Sharma (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

None

The Eliminator of the IPL 2024 season will be played between Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. However, Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bowl first.

RR won eight games so far and lost five as well. On the other hand, RCB won seven games so far and lost as many. However, both teams will try to win the game and keep the momentum. This is going to be an exciting match for both teams as well.

ALSO READ: Zaheer Khan shares MS Dhoni’s plans after IPL 2024

IPL 2024: RR vs RCB, Eliminator: Who said what at the toss?

Faf du Plessis: Would’ve done the same. Watching the game last night, there was assistance for the seam bowlers early on. This looks on the drier side with some fake grass on top. We’ve had that mindset right through. Focussing on your own skills, being true to the way you want to play. Last game against CSK was an unbelievable one. Less is more. People think when you get to the knockout stages, you need to be Superman. It’s just showing the boys that you trust them. Same team.

Sanju Samson: Would like to bowl first looking at the conditions and the wicket. There was dew last night. It’s all about the mindset. Really excited to come and play in this fabulous stadium. Great energy here. Looking at what has cricket taught us. When you have bad days, need to have the character and confidence. That has been the challenging part – fitness and injuries. Hetty comes back.

Playing XIs:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis(c), Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik(w), Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj, Lockie Ferguson

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Impact Subs: Swapnil Singh, Anuj Rawat, Suyash Prabhudessai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Himanshu Sharma

Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal

Rajasthan Royals Impact Subs: Shubham Dubey, Donovan Ferreira, Nandre Burger, Shimron Hetmyer, Tanush Kotian