
Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals Highlights, IPL 2026: The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad came as Gujarat Titans hosted Rajasthan Royals in Match 9 of IPL 2026. Fresh off an opening loss GT will looked to leverage home advantage, while a confident RR, riding high on a dominant win, brought explosive firepower including young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. A high-scoring thriller on a batting-friendly pitch ended with a nail-biting finish.
Rajasthan Royals put up a strong total of 210/6 after opting to bat first. The innings was built on a solid opening stand, with Yashasvi Jaiswal leading the charge with a fluent half-century, setting the tone early. After the first wicket, Dhruv Jurel anchored the middle overs brilliantly, scoring a crucial 75 and ensuring the momentum never dipped. Contributions from the middle order, including quick cameos from Hetmyer, pushed the scoring rate in the death overs. Despite a few wickets falling in the middle phase, RR kept attacking consistently and crossed the 200 mark, finishing with a commanding total that put pressure on Gujarat Titans.
Chasing 211, Gujarat Titans got off to a flying start with Sai Sudharsan playing a standout knock of 73, dominating the powerplay and building a strong opening partnership with Kumar Kushagra. However, the game turned dramatically in the middle overs as Ravi Bishnoi’s four-wicket haul triggered a collapse, removing key batters including Sai and Phillips. Despite that, Jos Buttler and later Rabada and Rashid Khan kept the chase alive with aggressive hitting. The match went down to the final over, but Tushar Deshpande held his nerve at the death, while Archer supported with a crucial penultimate over, as Rajasthan Royals sealed a thrilling 6-run win.
Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bat first.
RR Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma
GT Playing XI: Kumar Kushagra, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan(c), Kagiso Rabada, Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Gujarat Titans lead the head-to-head 6-2 against Rajasthan Royals in IPL history. Even on home soil at the Narendra Modi Stadium, GT maintain a 2-1 record in their favour.
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Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Jos Buttler(w), Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Jason Holder, Jayant Yadav, Manav Suthar, Kumar Kushagra, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Ishant Sharma, Luke Wood, Tom Banton, Kulwant Khejroliya, Anuj Rawat, Arshad Khan, Gurnoor Brar, Nishant Sindhu
Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals: Match scorecard
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Sushant Mishra, Tushar Deshpande, Adam Milne, Dasun Shanaka, Kuldeep Sen, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Shubham Dubey, Kwena Maphaka, Vignesh Puthur, Aman Rao Perala
Tushar Deshpande delivers a clutch final over under immense pressure to seal the game for Rajasthan Royals. With 11 needed off 6 to start, he begins with a wide but quickly regains control, nailing his yorkers consistently and denying the batters any room to free their arms. Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada are restricted to just singles as the equation tightens with every ball. Deshpande’s precision peaks in the crucial moments as he fires in another pinpoint yorker to leave Gujarat Titans needing 7 off 2. The pressure proves too much as Rashid goes for the big shot but slices it to the deep, where Jofra Archer pulls off a brilliant running catch. With the last ball yielding no run, Rajasthan Royals clinch a tense victory by 6 runs, capping off a high-pressure finish with exceptional death bowling.
Jofra Archer steps up when it matters most and produces a brilliant over under immense pressure. He keeps things tight right from the start, cramping Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada for room with sharp pace and accurate lines. Both batters struggle to get him away, managing only singles while failing to find the boundary. There’s added drama with reviews from both sides. Rajasthan Royals burn one after missing a clear inside edge from Rashid, while Gujarat Titans also lose a review in desperation towards the end. Archer mixes yorkers and short balls effectively, conceding just a handful of runs and ensuring the equation doesn’t slip too far. A top-quality over that swings the pressure back onto the batting side heading into the final.
GT need 11 runs off the last over.
Sandeep Sharma comes under serious pressure as Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan turn the momentum with an excellent over. Rashid starts things off with a clever boundary, squeezing a yorker past the off-side field, and continues to rotate strike smartly. The real damage, however, comes from Rabada, who is playing a fearless cameo, launching a slower ball straight down the ground for a massive six. The pair keep finding boundaries and twos, putting the fielders under pressure and running hard between the wickets. With 15 runs coming off the over, the equation suddenly tightens.
Gujarat Titans 196/7 after 18 overs.
Jofra Archer returns but struggles to maintain control as the lower order chips in with valuable runs. Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada rotate strike early in the over, picking up singles and keeping things moving. Archer’s inconsistency shows with a couple of loose deliveries, including a full toss that Rabada dispatches brilliantly over long-off for a six, showing unexpected batting flair. Another full toss helps Rabada collect an easy single as the pair ensures a decent return from the over. Archer manages to keep the final delivery quiet, but the damage is done as the batting side squeezes out important runs despite the earlier collapse.
Gujarat Titans 171/7 after 16 overs.
Ravi Bishnoi’s dream spell just keeps getting better as he rips through the lower middle order. Rahul Tewatia tries to fight back in his own style, first getting a streaky boundary and then smashing a stunning reverse-sweep for six, but Bishnoi responds immediately by inducing an edge that is safely taken behind the stumps. Rashid Khan walks in and survives a close call with a boundary that sneaks past everything, but the drama peaks soon after. A risky call for a third run ends in disaster as sharp fielding from Jadeja and a direct throw assist lead to a run-out, catching Shahrukh Khan well short. Kagiso Rabada is then beaten by a sharp googly to end the over. Despite a few boundaries, it’s complete chaos for the batting side as wickets continue to tumble under Bishnoi’s relentless pressure.
Gujarat Titans 161/7 after 15 overs
Ravi Bishnoi is turning the game on its head with a sensational spell, striking repeatedly to dismantle the middle order. He begins the over by removing Glenn Phillips, who miscues a pull off a googly and is caught in the deep, marking Bishnoi’s 200th T20 wicket in the process. Washington Sundar briefly counters with a boundary straight down the ground but falls soon after, miscuing another attacking shot to deep mid-wicket. Rahul Tewatia walks in and looks to settle with a couple of controlled strokes, while Jos Buttler keeps the scoreboard ticking with a single. It’s a massive over from Bishnoi, picking up two more wickets and leaving the batting side suddenly under pressure after a strong start.
GT 133/4 after 13 overs.
Tushar Deshpande comes back into the attack but runs into a fired-up Jos Buttler, who shifts gears brilliantly. After a couple of singles to get going, Buttler unleashes his full range, first with a clever lap shot fine for four, then following it up with a powerful strike over extra cover off a length delivery. He isn’t done yet, finishing the over with another authoritative pull in front of square for a boundary. Glenn Phillips chips in with a single, but this over is all about Buttler’s clean and confident hitting. A big momentum swing as the batting side fights back strongly after losing wickets.
Ravi Bishnoi makes an immediate impact after being introduced, but not before a bit of drama early in the over. There’s a no-ball that gives Sai Sudharsan a free hit, though the batters manage only singles around it. Bishnoi sticks to his variations, mixing googlies and length cleverly, and eventually gets the big breakthrough. Sai, who was looking in complete control, miscues a pull off a turning delivery and is caught in the deep, bringing an end to a remarkable knock of 73. Glenn Phillips walks in, and while he gets off strike, it’s Jos Buttler who provides the finishing touch to the over with a well-controlled cut shot for four. A crucial wicket for the bowling side, but the scoring rate remains healthy.
Gujarat Titans 112/2 after 11 overs.
Nandre Burger returns but finds no respite as the batters continue to dominate. Jos Buttler begins to find his rhythm, first getting off strike and then producing a delightful boundary, timing a length ball beautifully past mid-off with minimal effort. He looks slightly early on a pull shot later but still manages to rotate strike. Sai Sudharsan, meanwhile, keeps the pressure on, nudging singles before ending the over with a cheeky boundary off a short ball, showing complete control and confidence. Another productive over as the batting side continues to build momentum with ease.
Ravindra Jadeja returns, but Sai Sudharsan continues to dictate terms with supreme confidence. The over starts quietly with singles, including Jos Buttler getting off the mark, but Sai soon shifts gears. He rocks back to cut a short delivery for four and follows it up with a controlled pull for two. The highlight comes next, a powerful slog sweep off a fuller ball that sails high over deep mid-wicket for six. Jadeja manages to end the over with a dot, but the damage is already done. Sai is in complete command, picking his moments perfectly and keeping the scoring rate firmly in his side’s favour.
Gujarat Titans 92/1 after 9 overs.
Riyan Parag’s introduction sees a mix of brilliance and breakthrough. Sai Sudharsan continues his outstanding knock, starting the over with a crisp boundary through the off-side and then reaching his fifty in style with a powerful six over mid-wicket, yet another impressive milestone at this venue. He looks completely unfazed, anchoring the innings with authority. However, just when the partnership seemed set to flourish further, Parag provides the breakthrough. Kumar Kushagra goes for an attacking shot but finds Shimron Hetmyer in the deep, who pulls off a sharp catch with excellent boundary awareness. A big moment in the over as the solid opening stand is finally broken, even though Sai keeps the momentum intact.
Gujarat Titans 78/1 after 8 overs
Ravindra Jadeja is brought in to close out the powerplay, but Sai Sudharsan handles him with complete ease. The over begins with a classy boundary as Sai uses soft hands to guide a flatter delivery past the keeper. He continues to dictate terms, mixing placement with smart strokeplay, picking up twos with well-controlled pulls and nudges into the leg-side. Kumar Kushagra chips in with a single, but it’s largely Sai who keeps the momentum going. Jadeja doesn’t find much assistance as the batters comfortably rotate strike and keep the scoreboard ticking. It’s a smooth finish to the powerplay, with the pair ensuring their team goes through the first six overs without losing a wicket, a feat both sides have managed frequently in recent IPL seasons.
Gujarat Titans 67/0 after 7 overs.
Sandeep Sharma returns but continues to leak runs as Sai Sudharsan capitalises on anything loose. The over starts with a couple of runs off a low full toss, followed by a gift in the form of another low full toss that Sai flicks comfortably through mid-wicket for a boundary. The duo also brings up a solid fifty-run partnership, doing well to keep the innings steady despite the absence of Gill. Kumar Kushagra then joins the act with a controlled lofted shot straight down the ground for four, taking on the slower delivery smartly. Sandeep tries to pull things back with variations and tighter lines towards the end, but the batters have already ensured another productive over.
Gujarat Titans 56/0 after 6 overs
Tushar Deshpande’s over begins with a bit of fortune for Sai Sudharsan, who squeezes out a yorker that trickles away for four after a fumble in the field. However, that’s where the scoring stops as Deshpande responds brilliantly. He mixes his pace cleverly and keeps hitting hard lengths, repeatedly troubling Sai. There are multiple play-and-miss moments, one sneaks past the outside edge, another nearly disturbs the stumps as Sai mistimes a slog, and a well-executed yorker further keeps him in check. Sai finally manages a single off the last ball, but Deshpande clearly wins the battle after an expensive start.
Gujarat Titans 45/0 after 5 overs
Sandeep Sharma comes into the attack and Kumar Kushagra gets things moving straightaway with a couple of runs, using his wrists nicely to work one into the leg-side. A gift follows soon after as Sandeep strays onto the pads with fine leg up, and Kushagra clips it neatly behind square for a boundary. Apart from that lapse, Sandeep maintains decent control, keeping it full and on the stumps while mixing his pace. Both batters rotate strike with singles, though Sai Sudharsan is kept relatively quiet. A steady over overall, with Kushagra ensuring the scoreboard keeps ticking.
Gujarat Titans 40/0 after 4 overs.
Jofra Archer is introduced into the attack and starts on a disciplined note, keeping Sai Sudharsan quiet with a dot before the batter nudges one to mid-on. Kumar Kushagra then injects confidence into the innings with a classy boundary, leaning into a full delivery and driving it crisply past mid-off. Archer responds with a tighter line, forcing Kushagra onto the back foot for a couple of quieter deliveries, but the over ends on a high for the batting side. Sai takes charge, climbing onto a short ball and cutting it aerially over point for a well-timed boundary, leaving Archer visibly frustrated as 10 runs come off the over.
Gujarat Titans 32/0 after 3 overs.
Nandre Burger continues from the other end and starts with a single as Kumar Kushagra gets off strike. A wayward delivery down the off-side follows, but Sai Sudharsan makes the most of his next opportunity, edging a short-of-length ball past slip for a streaky boundary. Burger pulls things back well after that, keeping his line tight outside off and not allowing any freebies. Sai rotates strike once, while Kushagra remains cautious, defending the final two balls.
Gujarat Titans 22/0 after 2 overs.
The Gujarat Titans innings starts lively against Jofra Archer. The first ball is a wide down the leg-side, giving Sai Sudharsan a free start, followed by a short of length delivery that he blocks. He then smashes a short ball over third man for six, almost caught by a leaping fielder, and blocks the next delivery. A fullish ball outside off is driven straight to mid-off, and a short of length delivery angling away sees Sai miss the cut. He finishes the over in style with a crisp cover drive for four, with the fielder at short cover diving in vain.
Gujarat Titans 15/0 after 1 over.
Siraj starts the final over with a boundary before tightening things up immediately with a clever slower bouncer that Jurel fails to connect with. He sticks to the plan and gets his reward, another slower bouncer, and this time Jurel feathers it through to Buttler. No big appeal, but Jurel knows and walks back after a brilliant 75 off 42.
Jofra Archer comes in and is tested with pinpoint yorkers, managing just a single as Siraj keeps things tight. But Jadeja ensures RR finish on a positive note, finding the boundary off the final ball. A controlled final over from Siraj despite that last hit, wrapping up the innings neatly for GT.
Dhruv Jurel continues to lead the charge in the death overs. He starts by flicking a full ball for a couple and follows it up with a mistimed full toss that still fetches a single. Jadeja chips in with a flick to deep square leg before Jurel capitalises on a loose delivery. Prasidh misses his length and Jurel smokes it over cow corner for a massive six.
Prasidh pulls things back slightly with a well-directed yorker that Jurel can only squeeze out for a single. He finishes the over strongly against Jadeja, following him with a full delivery and denying room, resulting in a dot. Another productive over for RR, with Jurel maintaining the momentum.
Rajasthan Royals 201/5 after 19 overs.
Jurel starts the over in style, whipping a back-of-length delivery over the leg-side for a powerful six. He follows it up smartly, waiting on a slower ball to crack it square for a single. Jadeja chips in with a cut for one before Jurel finds the gap at mid-wicket and comes back for a couple.
Ashok struggles with consistency, mixing in slower balls that result in wides on a couple of occasions. Jurel continues to rotate strike with another single, while Jadeja ends the over with a slash that flies over the top edge but doesn’t carry. A slightly erratic over from Ashok, with Jurel keeping the scoring rate healthy.
Rajasthan Royals 190/5 after 18 overs.
Kagiso Rabada strikes first ball to push RR further back. Ferreira looks to take on the hard length but miscues it high, and Glenn Phillips completes a safe catch at deep mid-wicket. Jadeja walks in and gets off strike with a single before Jurel takes over the over.
There’s drama next ball, Jurel mistimes one towards long-on, Siraj takes the catch but steps over the ropes, turning it into a six. A costly error. Rabada follows it up with a wide bouncer before Jurel brings up a well-crafted fifty, flicking one to deep mid-wicket and coming back for two.
Jurel continues to rotate strike, while Jadeja swings and misses at an off-pace delivery to end the over. A chaotic over with a wicket, a dropped chance turned six, and a milestone for Jurel.
Rajasthan Royals 177/5 after 17 overs.
Ashok starts with Jurel guiding one to third man for a single before Hetmyer produces a moment of brilliance, using his wrists to whip a length ball over mid-wicket for four. But Ashok hits back immediately. He pitches it up in the slot, Hetmyer goes hard down the ground, and Siraj pulls off an excellent catch at long-on, moving across and holding on while falling. A crucial wicket just as Hetmyer looks dangerous.
Donovan Ferreira walks in and is tested straightaway with pinpoint yorkers, managing just a single while Ashok keeps things tight with high pace. The over ends with a fiery 154 kph yorker, fastest ball of the season, jamming Jurel up completely. There’s also a brief stoppage as Ashok hurts his finger while fielding, but play continues. A big over for GT, breaking momentum again.
Rajasthan Royals 166/4 after 16 overs
Jurel starts aggressively, making use of the flight to step down the track and loft Rashid beautifully over wide long-on for a six. There’s also a wide down leg to begin the over, helping RR further.
Rashid quickly regains control after that early hit, keeping it tight with flatter deliveries. Jurel and Hetmyer rotate strike with singles, working the ball into gaps but unable to find another boundary. A steady over after that early six, with RR keeping the scoreboard ticking without taking big risks.
Rajasthan Royals 160/3 after 15 overs.
Prasidh strikes early again, continuing the wicket-taking momentum. Jurel begins with a risky flick that just falls short of long-on for a single. Parag then falls cheaply, pushing at a good length ball and offering a simple catch to backward point. Two wickets in two overs for GT.
Shimron Hetmyer walks in and survives an early scare. There’s a huge appeal for a glove down leg, but GT decide against the review, replays would have been interesting there, as it looked close. Hetmyer then settles with a couple of dots before switching gears dramatically.
Prasidh goes short and pays the price, Hetmyer nails the pull over long leg for a six and follows it up with another maximum to finish the over. What could have been a quiet over turns expensive quickly, with Hetmyer making GT regret that missed opportunity.
Rajasthan Royals 148/3 after 14 overs
Rabada returns and gets into the contest straightaway. Jaiswal has an early scare with a leading edge that falls safely, but responds well, shuffling across to lap a slower ball fine for four.
But Rabada has the final say in that battle. Jaiswal backs away again, exposes his stumps, and this time Rabada nails the length, beating him for pace and crashing into the off stump. A crucial breakthrough as Jaiswal departs for a well-made 55.
Riyan Parag walks in and wastes no time, whipping his very first ball over deep square leg for a six with a strong bottom-hand flick. He follows it up with a couple guided to third man and then settles with a dot to close the over. A momentum-shifting over with both a big wicket and an aggressive start from Parag.
Rajasthan Royals 134/2 after 13 overs.
Siraj starts well, beating Jaiswal with one that angles across and keeps low. Jaiswal then gets into his groove, bringing up a composed fifty with a classy drive through extra cover, a knock built with patience before acceleration. He follows it with a quick single, and even attempts a premeditated scoop next ball, which results in a leg bye.
Jurel then takes over. After missing out on a flick to mid-wicket, he gets a slice of luck, top-edging a slower short ball that flies away for four. And he makes sure to capitalise further, as Siraj misses his yorker completely and ends up serving a full toss on the pads, which Jurel dispatches over the ropes for six. A big finish to the over for RR.
Rajasthan Royals 122/1 after 12 overs.
Rashid starts the over with a boundary as Jurel gets off strike early. He then works a wrong ’un into the leg side for a couple before a big moment arrives, GT go up for a review after Jurel misses a sweep, but replays confirm it’s drifting down leg, and the decision stays not out.
Rashid tightens up after that, beating Jurel with a reverse sweep attempt and then rushing him with a quicker one that is stabbed to mid-wicket. But Jurel has the final say, finding a thick outside edge that runs away for four. A mixed over for Rashid, with a review lost and another boundary conceded.
Rajasthan Royals 107/1 after 11 overs.
Ashok Sharma starts the over on a tight note, with Jurel finding mid-off off a full delivery. He continues to keep things quiet with hard lengths, as Jurel struggles to find gaps and is restricted to dots.
But Jurel finally breaks through in style, stepping across and smashing a length ball on the rise over cover for a superb boundary. It’s a statement shot in an otherwise controlled over. Ashok responds well, conceding just a single off a mistimed slog, and finishes with another dot to Jaiswal. A disciplined over overall, with just that one standout hit from Jurel.
Rajasthan Royals 97/1 after 10 overs.
Rashid starts steadily with Jurel and Jaiswal rotating strike through singles, working him into the leg side and down the ground. But just as he begins to build pressure, he loses his radar, spraying one full down the leg-side that results in five wides, much to his frustration as Buttler has no chance behind the stumps.
RR gladly accept the gift and continue to tick along with more singles, before Jaiswal pulls a shortish delivery to deep mid-wicket for a couple to end the over. A rare expensive over from Rashid, allowing RR to keep the scoreboard moving without taking risks.
Rajasthan Royals 92/1 after 9 overs
Prasidh continues to build pressure with a disciplined start. Jaiswal drives straight to mid-off first ball, with Prasidh even getting a hand to it in his follow-through. He follows it up with a solid back-of-length delivery that Jaiswal defends, before firing in a sharp yorker that is just about dug out for a single.
Jurel struggles to get going, managing just a single off the first few balls as Prasidh keeps hitting the hard lengths and closing down scoring options. But just when it looks like another tight over, Jaiswal produces a moment of quality, finding the gap with a crisp boundary to end the over and release some pressure.
Rajasthan Royals 80/1 after 8 overs.
Rashid Khan strikes early to dent RR’s momentum. Jaiswal begins with a single to deep cover before Vaibhav looks to take on a shortish delivery, only to mistime the pull, Glenn Phillips settles under it at deep mid-wicket to complete a safe catch.
Dhruv Jurel walks in and gets off the mark with a drive to long-on. Rashid keeps it tight from there, conceding only singles. Jaiswal and Jurel rotate strike with nudges to square leg and mid-wicket, but there are no boundaries on offer. A tidy over from Rashid after the big wicket, pulling things back for GT.
Rajasthan Royals 74/1 after 7 overs.
Rashid Khan is into the attack and makes an instant impact. Jaiswal starts the over with a single to deep cover, bringing Vaibhav on strike. Rashid then gets his man straightaway, Vaibhav looks to take him on but holes out, with Glenn Phillips completing the catch. A crucial breakthrough for GT just as RR are building momentum, and Vaibhav walks back after a brisk 31 off 18.
Rajasthan Royals 70/1 after 6.2 overs.
Prasidh starts with Vaibhav driving a full ball to cover for a single. Jaiswal then taps one to cover before taking charge in style, he picks up a short-of-length delivery and smashes it on the rise over long-on for a commanding six.
There’s a brief pause as Jaiswal pulls out late with a fielder moving at square leg, but it doesn’t break his rhythm. He follows it up with a beautifully controlled glance off a short ball, using soft hands to find the gap fine for four. Jaiswal then rotates strike with a drive to long-on, before Vaibhav defends the final ball. RR finish the powerplay strongly with momentum firmly on their side.
Ashok Sharma is welcomed with drama straightaway. Vaibhav goes hard at a short ball and gets a thick outside edge, Buttler dives at slip and gets a hand to it but can’t hold on, and it runs away for four. To make matters worse, Siraj hurts himself while trying to stop it near the boundary and needs some attention.
Vaibhav then takes on the pace again and plays an audacious upper cut over backward point for a six off a 149kph delivery. He rotates strike with a tap to mid-off before Jaiswal faces a sharp bouncer and sways out of the way, even attempting a late ramp. Jaiswal then drags one wide of mid-wicket for a couple and ends the over with a push to cover. RR continue to keep the momentum going.
Rajasthan Royals 57/0 after 5 overs.
Rabada starts well with a pinpoint yorker outside off that Vaibhav digs out to mid-wicket. He then bangs in a bouncer that sails too high for a wide. Vaibhav responds smartly, waiting on a slower short ball and slicing it beautifully over point for four. A risky moment follows as he drives straight to mid-off and takes off for a single, but Rashid misses a direct hit that could have ended his stay.
Rabada cranks up the pace after that, beating Jaiswal with sheer speed before mixing it up with a slower ball that is defended. But the final word belongs to Jaiswal, Rabada goes short at 145+ kph and gets punished. Jaiswal rocks back and pulls it clean over mid-wicket for a stunning six, easily the shot of the game so far.
Rajasthan Royals 44/0 after 4 overs
Siraj starts with a costly error, overpitching outside off and Jaiswal creams it over cover for a six. He follows it up with another poor line, short and down the leg-side, and Jaiswal helps himself to a boundary, continuing to punish anything loose. A wide down leg comes next, adding to Siraj’s frustration.
Siraj then pulls his length back and hits the hard length, with Jaiswal defending one solidly. But even a decent ball doesn’t save him, Jaiswal mistimes a loft over mid-off, yet it still clears the infield for four. Siraj nearly gets a breakthrough next ball as Jaiswal’s attempted whip takes an under edge and flies low to Buttler, who dives full stretch but can’t hold on. The over ends with a dot, but the damage is done.
Rajasthan Royals 32/0 after 3 overs
Rabada comes in with a tighter line and more discipline compared to Siraj. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi starts the over by guiding one to third man, while Jaiswal nudges one off the pads to rotate strike. Rabada sticks to hard lengths and keeps things quiet for most part, even beating Vaibhav’s timing with a mistimed drive to mid-on. He does stray once down the leg-side for a wide, but Vaibhav still manages to find a boundary, an uppish shot that lands safely and races away. Apart from that, Rabada maintains control, conceding just a handful while keeping the batters in check.
RR 17/0 after 2 overs
RR are underway with a slightly fortunate but productive first over. Siraj starts with a leg-side line and gets clipped away by Jaiswal for a single. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets going immediately, first with a gift on the pads that he glances fine for four, and then another loose delivery down leg that he pulls away for his second boundary. Siraj does beat him once with a straighter line, but overall, he is too wayward early on.
RR 10/0 after 1 over.
Ravi Bishnoi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Shubham Dubey, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Singh
Shahrukh Khan, Jason Holder, Manav Suthar, Anuj Rawat, Jayant Yadav
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma
Kumar Kushagra, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan(c), Kagiso Rabada, Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
“Well, we wanted to bowl first as well. Fresh wicket and I feel like there will be some help for the bowlers initially, but we are quite happy with the toss so far. Gill has got bit of a muscle spasm, hopefully he will be back soon. KK (Kumar Kushagra) is playing his first game and look forward to see him play. I think we played good cricket (in the last game). I feel in the last game as well, it was a very close game, but some of the areas we need to improve our bowling and also with the batting. And we spoke a lot about that in the meetings and we just need to bring our A-game here and give our 100%. So I feel like we did really well in the last game as well, but we take the positive things from that and we keep improving our skills in our game.”
“We are going to be batting first. We got to assess and adapt to different conditions. Hopefully we will put up a good score around 210 and defend it later on. We want to be a team that can play in all conditions. I want it to be a team that is flexible. We don't want to play one brand of cricket. We don't want to be a team that only scores or bowls for 200 runs or 250 runs. I think, like I said, I want us to assess the pitch, play through all conditions that the IPL offers to us, and be good at it. So I think that's the message. Two changes. Tushar Deshpande comes in for Brijesh and Shubham Dubey comes in for Bishnoi.”
Rajasthan Royals win the toss and opt to bat first.
Shimron Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel: Innings – 20, Runs – 440, Average – 24.4, 50s/100s – 1/0, Best – 62
Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal: Innings – 9, Runs – 463, Average – 66.1, SR – 160, 50s/100s – 3/1, Best – 134
Shimron Hetmyer and Riyan Parag: Innings – 14, Runs – 428, Average – 35.7, 50s/100s – 1/0, Best – 92
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: Innings – 8, Runs – 497, Average – 62.1, 50s/100s – 4/1, Best – 166
Riyan Parag - Dhruv Jurel: Innings – 14, Runs – 255, Average – 19.6, 50s/100s – 1/0, Best – 52
Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan: Innings – 34, Runs – 2095, Average – 63.5, 50s/100s – 9/7, Best – 210
Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan: Innings – 7, Runs – 357, Average – 51, 50s/100s – 5/0, Best – 84
Jos Buttler and Shubman Gill: Innings – 7, Runs – 352, Average – 50.3, 50s/100s – 4/0, Best – 74
Gujarat Titans: Matches – 23, Won – 13, Lost – 10
Rajasthan Royals: Matches – 17, Won – 10, Lost – 7
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Ravindra Jadeja, Donovan Ferreira, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma, Brijesh Sharma