High on confidence, Gujarat Titans will look to continue their winning momentum and move into the top four when they take on Rajasthan Royals in a crucial weekend IPL 2026 clash at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday.
The two teams are level on points with six wins and four defeats each from 10 matches, with only net run rate separating them on the table. Rajasthan currently sit fourth with a better net run rate, while Gujarat are just behind them.
Gujarat head into the game with confidence after winning their last three matches in a row. In contrast, Rajasthan have struggled for consistency and have lost three of their last five games.
The Royals are coming into the contest after another disappointing defeat despite posting a massive total. Captain Riyan Parag scored 90 as Rajasthan posted 225 for six against Delhi Capitals, but the bowlers failed to defend the target as DC chased it down comfortably. It was the second straight game in which Rajasthan could not defend a score of more than 220.
Rajasthan’s batting has largely depended on a few key players this season. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been their leading run-scorer with 404 runs, while Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel have also contributed heavily at the top.
However, the Royals need more support from the middle and lower order. Apart from Donovan Ferreira, who has scored quickly at a strike rate above 150, the lower order has not made enough impact.
Jurel has played important knocks this season but has also faced criticism for not accelerating enough at No. 3. In his last three innings, he has scored 42 off 30 balls, 16 off 20 balls and 42 off 30 balls, which has increased pressure on the rest of the batting unit.
Bowling remains a major concern for Rajasthan, especially in the middle overs. With high-scoring matches becoming common this season, the Royals will need quick answers to their bowling woes if they want to stay in the play-off race.
Gujarat, meanwhile, seem to be peaking form at the right time. Captain Shubman Gill has been consistent with 378 runs and will look to convert his starts into a bigger innings. Sai Sudharsan has also been in excellent form with 385 runs, including two fifties and a century in his last four matches.
Jos Buttler has also returned to form, giving Gujarat a dangerous top order. The Titans also have enough batting depth and finishers capable of handling pressure situations. However, Gujarat have shown signs of vulnerability when their top order fails. Earlier this season, they were bowled out for just 100 against Mumbai Indians after suffering a collapse.
Their bowling attack, though, has been one of the strongest in the tournament. Kagiso Rabada has led the pace attack brilliantly with 16 wickets, while Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj have also delivered consistently.
The rivalry between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals has become one of the more competitive match-ups in the IPL. The two sides have met nine times so far, with Gujarat winning six matches and Rajasthan winning three.
The pitch at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium has heavily favoured batters this season. The average first-innings score in the last five matches at the venue is 212 runs. The weather in Jaipur is expected to remain hot and dry, although temperatures are likely to ease slightly during the evening. Dew is also expected to play a key role in the second innings, which could make chasing easier for the side batting second.
Squads:
Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag (c), Aman Rao, Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Brijesh Sharma, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Adam Milne, Sushant Mishra, Vignesh Puthur, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma, Kuldeep Sen, Yash Raj Punja, Yudhvir Singh.
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), Anuj Rawat, Jos Buttler (wk), Connor Esterhuizen, Kumar Kushagra (wk), B Sai Sudharsan, M Shahrukh Khan, Jason Holder, Glenn Phillips, Rashid Khan, Nishant Sidhu, Manav Suthar, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Arshad Khan, Ashok Sharma, Gurnoor Brar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kagiso Rabada, R Sai Kishore, Ishant Sharma, Luke Wood, Jayant Yadav.