Rajasthan Royals had managed only one victory out of their five fixtures in Jaipur last season.
The inaugural champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Rajasthan Royals (RR), had produced an underwhelming show in the last season of the league. With only four wins in 14 group-stage matches, the team obtained the ninth place in the IPL 2025 points table.
But before starting off a fresh campaign in the upcoming season, the home stadium conundrum has surrounded the franchise. With a little more than one month to go for the IPL 2026, RR are yet to decide their home venue for the mega T20 event.
As per the latest reports, the usual home stadium of the Royals, the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, is likely to not host the IPL 2026 matches. Earlier, the relationship between the franchise and Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) had deteriorated following an official’s match-fixing allegations during the last edition.
This was further backed by the sub-par facilities and safety arrangements that forced the RR management to shift their base from the renowned stadium. Notably, three of their seven home fixtures are set to be held at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. It is the home ground of their newly appointed skipper, Riyan Parag. But the Rajasthan Royals still need to confirm a venue to host their remaining four home matches in the IPL 2026.
ALSO READ:
Previously, an MCA official had revealed that the team visited the stadium and were in talks to host their IPL 2026 home matches in that venue. The defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), had also expressed their interest in shifting their home base from the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to MCA. This move came after the tragic stampede during the side’s victory celebrations in Bengaluru last year.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had provided the two IPL franchises, RR and RCB, a strict deadline of January 27 to decide their respective home venues for the IPL 2026. But as RCB has now been cleared to host their home matches at the M. Chinnaswamy, RR might take the opportunity to shift four of their home fixtures at the MCA Stadium, Pune. The stadium in Pune is yet to host an IPL match in the last four years.
According to the latest sources, the franchise is yet to decide on their home stadium for the IPL 2026. The Rajasthan Royals are not comfortable playing at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium due to the safety and security concerns.
Meanwhile, the fans are eagerly waiting for the IPL 2026 schedule with the tournament set to begin in March 2026. But the release of the IPL 2026 fixtures has been affected due to a prolonged delay in selecting a home venue by the franchise, replacing the SMS Stadium in Jaipur.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
