GT vs RR: Why the coin was flipped twice during toss in New Chandigarh in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2? Explained

The IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 between the Gujarat Titans (GT) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) began with an unusual twist at the New Chandigarh International Stadium on Friday (May 29). The coin toss had to be conducted twice before Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag won the toss and elected to bat first. This brief but noticeable episode captured immediate attention and set the tone for what promises to be a thrilling knockout battle.

How the unusual toss unfolded

Veteran commentator Ravi Shastri handled the pre-match ceremony with his usual poise. Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill spun the coin, and Rajasthan Royals leader Riyan Parag confidently called heads. At first glance, the coin seemed to favour Parag. However, the captains soon gathered around the officials amid visible confusion on the field. A short discussion followed as everyone waited for clarity.

Match referee Prakash Bhatt ensures fair play

Match referee Prakash Bhatt stepped in promptly. He explained that the call from the Rajasthan Royals captain was not loud or clear enough to confirm without doubt. Following IPL protocols designed to prevent any future disputes in crucial matches, officials decided to redo the entire toss. This decision reflected the tournament’s strict commitment to accuracy and sportsmanship.

On the second attempt, Gill spun the coin again. Parag repeated his call for heads. This time, the outcome was loud and clear. Rajasthan Royals won the toss and chose to bat first, aiming to make the most of the early conditions before dew could become a factor later in the evening.

Toss update and Playing XIs

Riyan Parag during the toss: “We are going to be batting first. I just feel at the back end I feel the wicket slows down a little bit. And I've got more bowlers that use the slower ball. So I feel just trying to extract that. We've had those type of games in the last three games now. So probably for a better cause. I feel everyone's up for it, everyone wants to win. And the messaging is clear, we play a good 40 overs of cricket. Whoever plays better cricket, they win.”

RR Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja

RR Impact subs: Shubham Dubey, Sushant Mishra, Aman Rao Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande

Shubman Gill during the toss: "We would have batted first as well. 40 overs of play has already been played on the wicket and we didn't think it's gonna change much, but unfortunately, I don't think the referee heard the call from Riyan. We've got everything to play. It's now or never situation for us and everyone is firing up."

Gujarat Titans Playing XI: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Jos Buttler(w), Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj

Gujarat Titans Impact Subs: Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra, Arshad Khan