Rajasthan Royals' choice to designate Guwahati's Barsapara Stadium as their secondary home ground in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has not yielded positive results, as evidenced by their eight-wicket defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday during their second match of the season.

In 2023, Rajasthan selected Guwahati to complement its primary venue, Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. However, the 2008 champions have only secured one victory in five matches played at this location, with their sole win occurring against the Delhi Capitals in April 2023.

In an interview with Cricbuzz, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull expressed skepticism regarding Rajasthan's strategy of seeking a home advantage outside their established venue in Jaipur. He noted that leading IPL teams, such as Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, would likely never consider relocating from their home grounds unless absolutely necessary.

"You should strive to enhance your home ground to its fullest potential. When RR was performing well, they consistently achieved victories at home in Jaipur. To be a serious contender, it is essential to optimize what you can control, which includes your seven home games. These franchises are profiting from television rights deals, and Rajasthan, in particular, has increased in value significantly since their acquisition 18 years ago. Therefore, it cannot solely be about financial gain. They need to prioritize a home venue. Can you envision Chennai moving away from Chepauk or Mumbai playing outside the Wankhede Stadium? It's simply not feasible," he remarked.

‘RR have to pick teams for both venues’

Doull emphasized the extra challenge that Rajasthan faced in selecting players suited for both of their home venues. 

"When assembling a team right now, you have to consider two distinct venues, each with its own characteristics. The Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Rajasthan generally offers an excellent playing surface. Therefore, during the auction, you must find players who can perform well in both locations, which complicates the selection process," he remarked.

Rajasthan is set to compete in Guwahati against the Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. Their inaugural home match in Jaipur will take place on April 13, where they will face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

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