Looking for today's IPL match pitch report? Start with where the game is being played. Each ground has its own habits: the Wankhede and Hyderabad tend to produce big totals, Lucknow and Raipur make batters work harder, and dew shapes the second innings of many night games. Once you know today's venue, this guide tells you how that ground usually plays, and the broadcaster's report at the toss tells you how today's strip looks.

A pitch report answers three questions before a ball is bowled: how much the surface will help batters, whether pace or spin will matter more, and whether the side batting second will have dew on its side.

This guide covers every ground that hosted IPL 2026 matches. The league stage was spread across 13 stadiums, including second home venues in Guwahati, Raipur and Dharamsala, and the playoffs went to Dharamsala, New Chandigarh and Ahmedabad. A short section near the end links to our reports on other major venues, from Mohali to the main Australian grounds.

How to read today's IPL match pitch report

Today's match pitch report has two parts: what the ground usually does, and what today's strip looks like. Work through it in this order.

1. Find today's venue

Check where today's game is being played on the official fixture list: the IPL fixtures page on iplt20.com during the IPL, or the home board's website for an international. The broadcaster's match listing names the ground too. Don't assume the home side's main ground: in IPL 2026, Punjab Kings, RCB and Rajasthan Royals all played some home games at a second venue, in Dharamsala, Raipur and Guwahati. Use CricGuru for the AI win prediction, covered further down.

2. Jump to the venue guide

Once you know today's match stadium, find it in the summary table below for the short version. Then read its block in the ground-by-ground section, which links to the full report where we have one.

3. Check the toss-time report

The broadcaster's pitch report goes out shortly before the toss, usually with a former player on the strip. It is the most current information you will get, so use it to adjust the ground's usual pattern. These are the things to listen for.

Grass cover. A green tinge or live grass means seam movement and bounce, especially in the powerplay. Dry, shaved grass usually means a batting surface that may turn later.

Hardness. If a key pressed into the surface barely marks it, the pitch is hard: expect pace, carry and the ball coming onto the bat. A softer surface holds the ball up, suiting cutters and slower balls.

Cracks. Fine cracks rarely matter in a T20, but wider ones can give uneven bounce and help spinners in the second innings.

Moisture. Moisture under the surface, often after the covers have been on, helps seamers early and usually dries out as the game goes on.

Soil type. Red-soil pitches tend to offer bounce and pace, and can turn when they dry. Black-soil pitches are generally slower and lower, which brings spinners and cutters in.

Boundaries. If the pitch is off the centre of the square, one side will be shorter, and batters will target it.

Used pitches. Late-season strips that have already hosted games are usually slower.

Day or night. In a 7:30 pm start, dew often makes the ball hard to grip in the second innings, so many captains bowl first. Afternoon games at 3:30 pm usually see little dew.

For more on how much the call matters, see our guide on whether winning the toss matters in cricket.

IPL pitch report at a glance: all venues

Scoring labels are relative to other IPL grounds in recent seasons, not fixed par scores.

Ground City Home team (IPL 2026) Pitch type Scoring Pace vs spin Dew
Wankhede Stadium Mumbai Mumbai Indians Red soil, true bounce Very high Pace early, swing off the sea breeze Major factor, helps chasers
M Chinnaswamy Stadium Bengaluru RCB Flat, ball comes on, short boundaries High Seamers early; spinners under pressure Some nights
Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium Raipur RCB (second home) Black soil, slow Lower Both get help; long boundaries Check on the day
MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai CSK Dry, traditionally slow and gripping Moderate Spin Evening games
Eden Gardens Kolkata KKR Good batting surface in recent years High Pace early, spin in the middle overs Often
Arun Jaitley Stadium Delhi Delhi Capitals Flat, small ground; can slow later High Early seam on some nights; spin later Varies
Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad Gujarat Titans Red, black and mixed-soil strips High on flat strips; 2026 more mixed Pace early, spin later on black-soil strips Varies
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium Hyderabad Sunrisers Hyderabad Flat, true bounce, fast outfield Very high Pace and carry early; some grip for spin later Varies; harder to predict
Ekana Stadium Lucknow LSG Mixed red/black soil; often slow Moderate to low Spin and cutters Yes
Sawai Mansingh Stadium Jaipur Rajasthan Royals Balanced, big outfield High in 2026 Both; spin grips later Yes
Barsapara (ACA) Stadium Guwahati RR (second home) Generally good for batting Moderate Pace early in damp conditions Yes
Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium New Chandigarh (Mullanpur) Punjab Kings Bounce and carry for quicks High in 2026 Pace early, slows in the middle Yes
HPCA Stadium Dharamsala Punjab Kings (second home) Quick, bouncy, high altitude High Swing and seam early Possible in evening games

IPL 2026 venues: ground-by-ground pitch reports

Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai (Mumbai Indians)

The Wankhede is a red-soil pitch with true bounce, short boundaries and a quick outfield. The new ball can swing early in the sea breeze and pacers get carry, but the surface usually flattens out later. Dew is a major factor in night games, so most captains bowl first, and chasing sides have the better long-run IPL record here. In IPL 2026 the average first-innings total at the ground was above 200, and Sunrisers Hyderabad chased down 244 against Mumbai Indians.

Other Mumbai venues. Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium were also IPL venues in 2022, when the league stage was played in Mumbai and Pune. Brabourne has not hosted the IPL since. Full report: Brabourne Stadium pitch report.

M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

The Chinnaswamy is the classic small-ground batting venue: a flat pitch with the ball coming onto the bat, short boundaries and a fast outfield. Seamers can find something with the new ball, but spinners often struggle once batters are set. Short boundaries keep big targets within reach, so chasing sides have won more IPL games here and captains tend to bowl first; dew can help on some nights. Evening thunderstorms in March to May are the main weather risk. Full report: M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch report.

Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium, Raipur (RCB second home)

Raipur returned to the IPL in 2026, for the first time since 2016, as RCB's second home, and it plays nothing like Bengaluru. The black-soil pitch is on the slow side and some boundaries are over 80 metres, so clearing the rope is hard. Previews expected pacers and spinners both to get help, first-innings totals have been below the IPL average over the ground's history, and chasing sides have won most of the IPL games played here.

MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk), Chennai (Chennai Super Kings)

Chepauk has a long reputation as a dry, slow pitch that grips for spinners. In recent seasons it has produced flatter surfaces and bigger totals than that reputation suggests, so check the pitch report rather than assuming a turner. In evening games, dew can help the chasing side.

Eden Gardens, Kolkata (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Eden Gardens was once seen as a spin-friendly ground, but recently it has been one of the league's better batting surfaces. Quicks can get some help early, and spinners come into it in the middle overs. Dew is often a factor at night. Full report: Eden Gardens pitch report.

Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi (Delhi Capitals)

Delhi was long known as a slow, low pitch, but recently it has combined a flatter surface with small boundaries and a fast outfield, so big totals are very possible. The new ball can still bite: in IPL 2026 Delhi Capitals were 13/6 after the powerplay against RCB here. The pitch can also dry out and slow later, bringing spinners who vary their pace into the game, although dew can blunt them in the chase. Full report: Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch report.

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad (Gujarat Titans)

Ahmedabad has both red-soil and black-soil pitches, and mixed ones are prepared too, so the first match-day question is which strip is in use. Red-soil and mixed pitches give true bounce and pace early; black-soil pitches are slower and give spinners more grip. Flat strips have produced plenty of 200-plus totals in recent seasons, but IPL 2026 was more mixed, with two sides bowled out for 100 or less, and dew varies from night to night. It hosted the IPL 2026 final, where RCB beat Gujarat Titans. Full report: Narendra Modi Stadium pitch report.

Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Hyderabad has been one of the IPL's highest-scoring grounds in recent seasons. The pitch has true bounce, the outfield is fast, and SRH made 277/3 here in 2024 and 286/6 in 2025, then passed 240 at home again in 2026. Seamers who hit the deck get early carry, and the surface can grip a little in the middle overs. Chasing sides have the better long-run record, but recent SRH teams have defended huge totals. Dew is harder to predict here. Full report: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium pitch report.

Ekana Stadium, Lucknow (Lucknow Super Giants)

Ekana made its name as one of the tougher batting grounds in the IPL. Its square mixes red- and black-soil strips, and the slower ones make batters work while spinners and cutters get grip. Some strips play truer, and recent seasons have also produced 200-plus totals, so check which pitch is in use. Second-innings dew often pushes captains towards chasing. Full report: Ekana Stadium pitch report.

Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur (Rajasthan Royals)

Jaipur is a balanced surface with one of the biggest outfields in the IPL and wide square boundaries, yet in IPL 2026 a first-innings 220 was routine: every first innings in RR's four home games there reached 220. Bowlers get some early movement and spinners find grip. The standout fact is the chasing record, helped by second-innings dew: sides batting second have won roughly two in every three IPL matches here, including three of the four in 2026.

Barsapara (ACA) Stadium, Guwahati (Rajasthan Royals second home)

RR played three home games in Guwahati at the start of IPL 2026. The pitch is generally good for batting, but early-season rain and moisture under the covers can give seamers help with the new ball, and spinners can get turn and bounce. Chasing has tended to be the better option, with dew under lights.

Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium, New Chandigarh (Punjab Kings)

Punjab's newer home in Mullanpur gives fast bowlers bounce and carry, especially in the powerplay. The pitch tends to slow through the middle overs, but in IPL 2026 it was largely a batting venue with plenty of big totals. It also hosted the Eliminator and Qualifier 2. Expect dew in the second innings. Full report, including Punjab Kings' old home in Mohali: PCA Stadium Mohali pitch report.

HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala (Punjab Kings second home)

Dharamsala sits at altitude, so the ball travels further in the air and the pitch usually offers pace and bounce. Seamers get lateral movement with the new ball in the cool evenings, yet all three IPL 2026 league games there produced 200-plus first innings. It also hosted Qualifier 1. Rain is always a risk in the hills. Full report: HPCA Stadium Dharamsala pitch report.

Beyond the IPL: other venues

Outside the IPL the method is the same: get the venue from the home board's fixture list or the broadcaster, read the ground's report, then listen to the toss-time pitch report. These reports cover other major venues, including the main Australian grounds for Big Bash League and Test cricket:

What IPL 2026 told us about pitches

IPL 2026 set records for run rate and 200-plus totals, more teams chased 200 than ever before, and the Impact Player rule let sides bat deeper all season. So when you read an IPL pitch report today, compare a venue with its own recent matches rather than older averages, and remember that a 200 in Raipur or Lucknow is a different total from a 200 in Mumbai or Hyderabad.

Using a pitch report with CricGuru

CricGuru does not read the pitch. Its AI win probability combines recent form, head-to-head record, league-table strength (points per game) and a small home advantage, with an AI-written preview alongside; venue, weather and toss are left out.

So the pitch report is your second layer. Choose an upcoming game on live and upcoming matches, sign in and request the prediction (a free account includes a few trial predictions; paid plans add a daily allowance), then ask whether tonight's pitch suits the side it leans towards: a spin-heavy team on a slow Lucknow surface, say, or a power-hitting top order at the Wankhede. The team pages show squads and recent results, and how to predict cricket matches explains how a forecast is put together.

FAQ

Where can I find the pitch report today for an IPL match?

In two places. For how the ground usually plays, check today's venue on the official fixture list and read that ground's block above. For how today's strip looks, watch the broadcaster's report shortly before the toss, then adjust for what the presenter says about grass, hardness and moisture.

Which IPL ground is the best for batting?

In recent seasons Wankhede, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi and Dharamsala have been among the highest-scoring IPL venues, and in 2026 Jaipur and Mullanpur joined them. Lucknow and Raipur have been tougher for batters; Chennai less so than its reputation suggests.

Which IPL venues help spinners?

Chennai and Lucknow have traditionally been the most helpful to spin, and 2026 previews expected Raipur's slow surface to help spinners too. Delhi later in a match and the black-soil pitches in Ahmedabad can also turn.

Should the toss winner bat or bowl first in the IPL?

In night games most captains bowl first because dew makes the ball harder to grip later. Jaipur has an especially strong chasing record. Afternoon games and dry, wearing pitches are the main exceptions.

Using this guide on match day

Pitch reports will not tell you the result, but they explain why the same total can be a winning score one night and a losing one the next. Bookmark this page, and on match day find the venue, read its block or full report, then adjust for today's pitch report at the toss. Pair it with CricGuru's AI win probability for the rest of the picture.