RR vs GT, IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals have triggered a big change to their playing eleven in their crucial IPL 2026 clash against the Gujarat Titans on May 9, Saturday at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. With Parag unavailable for the match due to a hamstring injury, Yashasvi Jaiswal is captaining the hosts as the swashbuckling batter announced it at the toss, which went his way.
RR vs GT, IPL 2026: How has Riyan Parag performed in the 2026 edition of the tournament?
While Parag has captained the side well, the spin-bowling all-rounder hasn’t enjoyed as good a season with the bat. The right-hander compiled scores of 14*, 8, 20, 3, 4, 12, 20, 7 and 29 in his first nine innings. However, the youngster has seemingly turned a corner with a swashbuckling 90 against the Delhi Capitals in the previous game in Jaipur. Nevertheless, it seems unclear when did Parag sustain the injury.
But Jaiswal has been handed over the captaincy for the first time in the IPL and has gone on to win the toss, thereby electing to chase first. Shimron Hetmyer is back in the line-up for Nandre Burger, while Yash Raj Punja has also returned to the XI. As for the Titans, Shubman Gill announced that they have swapped pacer Prasidh Krishna for spinner Manav Suthar.
RR vs GT, IPL 2026: What happened the last time the Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals played?
The two sides have already locked horns once in the tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Thanks to half-centuries from Jasiwal (55) and Dhruv Jurel (75), the Royals had amassed 210/6 in their stipulated 20 overs. B Sai Sudharsan set up the tone for the Titans’ run-chase with a 44-ball 73.
While the Titans lost wickets in clumps in the middle overs, they still brought the equation down to 15 off the final 12 deliveries. With 11 needed off the last over, Tushar Deshpande bowled an outstanding over to fashion a 6-run win for the Royals. The two sides had also met in the IPL 2022 final.
