Rajasthan vs Tamil Nadu, RNJ ELITE, 2026-27, Today Match Prediction

RJS vs TND Match Prediction & Analysis

Rajasthan will meet Tamil Nadu in Jaipur to kick-start their Ranji Trophy campaign on October 11. Rajasthan had a forgettable campaign last season, ending in fifth place in Group D and have a lot to prove. Tamil Nadu fared even worse, as they finished in sixth place in Group A. Both teams will have their task cut out as they look to start the season on a positive note. Looking at both the lineups, Tamil Nadu has a slight edge.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Rajasthan Preview

Rajasthan begin their 2026-27 Ranji Trophy campaign with Manav Suthar taking over as captain for the opening phase, with Mahipal Lomror named vice-captain. Last season they won one, lost two and drew four of their seven games, finishing on 14 points, and they missed the knockouts. 

The side has a good mix of experience and young talent, but much will depend on how their senior players perform against a strong Tamil Nadu outfit. Lomror is the batting anchor. In 2024-25, he scored 616 runs in seven matches at an average of 68.44, including a 300 not out, and he added 438 runs in 12 innings last season. Kartik Sharma made 148 runs in three matches in 2024-25 at a strike rate of 84.57, which suits the middle order. 

Suthar leads the spin department. He took 18 wickets in three matches last season, headlined by 8/42 against Chhattisgarh. Ajay Kookna offers support after taking 22 wickets with three five-wicket hauls in five matches in 2024-25. 

Sumit Godara and Sachin Yadav should open, Mukul Choudhary keeps wicket, and Aakash Singh, Chetan Sharma and Danish Bhamboo form the pace unit.

Tamil Nadu may have Washington Sundar available, so Rajasthan's top order will need to set the tone.

Rajasthan Predicted Playing XI:

Sumit Godara, Sachin Yadav, Rohan Rajbar, Mahipal Lomror, Kartik Sharma, Mukul Choudhary (wk), Manav Suthar (c), Ajay Kookna, Aakash Singh, Chetan Sharma, Danish Bhamboo

Tamil Nadu Preview

Tamil Nadu begin their Ranji Trophy campaign with a strong blend of experience and promising young talent, with R Sai Kishore taking over as captain and C Andre Siddarth his deputy. Last season brought one win, two defeats and four draws, a 14-point return that placed them sixth in the group. 

The batting has plenty of depth, led by Baba Indrajith, Pradosh Ranjan Paul and Vimal Khumar. Paul was Tamil Nadu’s leading run-scorer in 2025-26, making 564 runs at 56.40 with two hundreds, including an unbeaten 201. Vimal was even more prolific by average, scoring 412 runs at 68.67 in just four matches, while Indrajith made 401 at 68.66. Andre Siddarth also enjoyed a productive campaign, with 409 runs and a hundred.

The bowling attack revolves around Sai Kishore, who brings considerable first-class experience and has also sharpened his game in county cricket, taking 19 wickets in five matches for Gloucestershire earlier this year. Ajith Ram provides another left-arm spin option, while Sonu Yadav offers the all-round balance. Yadav was particularly impressive last season, taking 10 wickets at 22.60, including a five-wicket haul, alongside 195 runs. With Saravana Kumar and a crop of young seamers adding variety, Tamil Nadu have the personnel to challenge Rajasthan in Jaipur.

Athish SR and Jagadeesan should open, with Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Nidhish Rajagopal and Sonu Yadav adding depth. Govinth Ganesh and Saravana Kumar are the likely seam options

Tamil Nadu Predicted Playing XI:

Athish SR, Narayan Jagadeesan (wk), Baba Indrajith, C Andre Siddarth (vc), Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Nidhish Rajagopal, Sonu Yadav, Sai Kishore (c), Ajith Ram, Govinth Ganesh, Saravana Kumar

Weather Conditions

Jaipur is set for hot and mostly sunny conditions throughout the match from October 11-14. AccuWeather forecasts highs of around 34-36°C and lows of 21-23°C, with just a 1% chance of rain each day. Conditions should therefore be largely uninterrupted, though the afternoon heat could test the players.

RJS vs TND Pitch Report

Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur hosts this Group D opener, and recent Ranji matches here suggest a pitch that rewards big first-innings scores. Rajasthan declared on 617/6 against Mumbai in November 2025, and Mumbai replied with 254 in a match that finished without a result. In December 2011, Rajasthan scored 396 and beat Saurashtra by 229 runs. A 2013 meeting with Bengal ended in a draw, with Rajasthan making 244 and Bengal 326. The February 2024 game against Saurashtra went the other way. Rajasthan made 257 and 87 and lost by 218 runs against a side that scored 328. 

Across those four matches, first-innings totals averaged about 336, and Rajasthan have one win, one defeat and two draws. The ground's only Test, India against Pakistan in 1987, was drawn, with Mohammad Azharuddin and Ravi Shastri both scoring first-innings centuries.

Toss: To Bat

With warm and clear weather expected on the first day, the toss-winning skipper is likely to bat first. The conditions will be perfect for batting for the first two days so batting first makes sense here.