Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals hold a unique place in IPL history as the inaugural champions. Under the legendary Shane Warne’s captaincy in 2008, a team of relative unknowns defeated the star-studded rosters of Chennai and Mumbai to win the first-ever IPL title. It remains one of the great underdog stories in cricket.

Warne’s legacy looms large over the franchise. His passing in 2022 hit the Royals family harder than most, and every season since has carried an element of tribute to the greatest leg-spinner who ever lived. Warne’s philosophy of backing young talent and playing fearless cricket remains the Royals’ guiding principle.

Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, the Pink City, gives the Royals a home ground that matches their jersey. The pink walls of Jaipur’s old city provide a spectacular backdrop to evening matches, and the desert heat adds an extra challenge for visiting teams unaccustomed to Rajasthan’s conditions.

Sanju Samson’s captaincy has brought stability and flair to the Royals. His batting, particularly in the powerplay, is among the most explosive in the IPL. The franchise’s data-driven approach to player recruitment, pioneered by their analytics department, has made them one of the smartest operations in franchise cricket.

The Royals’ analytics-first approach, inspired by the Moneyball philosophy, has influenced how every IPL franchise approaches auctions. Their willingness to back uncapped Indian talent has unearthed gems that other franchises overlooked. The franchise’s connection to the local community in Rajasthan, through cricket development programmes in schools and colleges, is building the next generation of desert cricketers.

Jaipur’s emergence as a major cricket city owes much to the Royals’ presence. The franchise has brought world-class cricket to Rajasthan, and the economic impact of home matches on the local hospitality and tourism industry is significant. The pink city comes alive on matchdays, with restaurants, hotels, and bars all centering their experience around the evening’s cricket.

For 2026, the Royals blend Indian talent with overseas stars in a squad designed for aggressive cricket. For international viewers, matches starting at 19:30 IST convert to 14:00 GMT for London, 10:00 AM EDT for New York, and 01:00 AEDT for Sydney. Check Jaipur time and India time for your local conversion.