IPL 2026: Can GT bounce back against confident RR?
What's the story
The much-anticipated clash between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals is set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday. The Royals have made a stunning start to the season, thrashing Chennai Super Kings in a one-sided encounter. On the other hand, GT lost a thriller against last season's runners-up Punjab Kings. Here we look at the match preview.
Details
Pitch report and match timing
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is known for its batting-friendly pitch with some assistance for fast bowlers. The average run rate at his venue has been around 10 across the last two IPL seasons, as per ESPNcricinfo. This could lead to a high-scoring encounter between GT and RR. Meanwhile, the match, which will begin at 7:30pm IST, will be broadcast on JioStar Network Channels and live-streamed on JioHotstar (App & Website).
Xoncerns
GT have to sort out their issues
Titans skipper Shubman Gill will have to make some strategic decisions. The Indian middle order of the Titans, comprising Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, and Rahul Tewatia, hasn't been very inspiring. Sai Sudharsan is also trying to find his rhythm after an injury break. Though their bowling line-up is solid on paper, Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan's recent form hasn't been great.
Rising star
RR boast a balanced unit
Though RR don't boast a star-studded line-up, they fielded a well-balanced XI in their opener. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could be a chief threat for GT, having smashed a brilliant 15-ball half-century in RR's opening fixture. Skipper Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Dhruv Jurel are the other Indian dashers in the line-up. While all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja provides the balance, Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger form a potent new-ball pair. Jadeja is assisted by Ravi Bishnoi in the spin department.
Information
What is the head-to-head record?
The Titans hold a strong record against the Royals, having won six of their eight games versus them after debuting in 2022. At home, the Ahmedabad-based team won two of their three games against the Men in Pink.
Line-ups
Here are the probable XIIs
RR Predicted Playing XII: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma, Donovan Ferreira. GT Predicted Playing XII: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, M Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Performers
Here are the key performers
Sooryavanshi hammered a record-breaking 38-ball 101 against the Titans last year. Rashid Khan, who is arguably the best T20 spinner ever, is the only bowler with over 700 wickets in the format. Gill's tally of 2,488 IPL runs since the start of the 2022 season is the most for any batter. Jadeja is the only all-rounder with the IPL double of 3,000 runs and 150 wickets.