The decision by Rajasthan Royals to stage several home fixtures away from their traditional base has sparked debate among cricket experts and fans. For the Indian Premier League 2026 season the franchise will play three of their seven home games at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium instead of their regular venue the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
This year the team will begin its home campaign in Guwahati where the opening set of matches will be hosted. The move continues a trend seen in the previous IPL season when the Royals also used Guwahati as an alternate venue for several games.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra questioned the reasoning behind the arrangement during a discussion on his YouTube channel. He expressed confusion about why the franchise continues to play important matches away from its original home ground in Jaipur.
Chopra pointed out that while some teams in the tournament also use secondary venues they usually stay within their regional areas. For example Punjab Kings host some matches in Dharamsala which still lies within the northern region. In contrast Rajasthan Royals travel across the country from western India to the northeastern city of Guwahati.
Several high profile matches scheduled in Guwahati include clashes against popular teams such as Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. These fixtures are expected to draw large crowds due to the strong fan bases of the visiting teams.
Some observers believe the connection could be related to team captain Riyan Parag, who comes from Assam and has strong ties with the region. However critics argue that the franchise itself does not have a historic association with Guwahati.
As the 2026 IPL season approaches starting on March 28 the Rajasthan Royals will aim to make the most of their alternate venue and turn Guwahati into a strong home ground advantage for those early matches.