Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL, 2026 Apr 4 Full score card

FOUR! Wrong length and wrong line from Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja finishes things off in style for the Royals. A juicy full toss on leg stump, Jadeja hangs back, swivels a bit and swats it wide of the deep square leg fielder, to his right, for a boundary. Rajasthan Royals end with 210/6 on the board.

On middle, this time Siraj does get it in the blockhole, Archer makes room to swing it leg side but gets an inside edge down to deep backward square leg for a single.

Full and straight, almost in the blockhole, Archer plays it back to the bowler.

The next batter in is Jofra Archer.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Finally, something positive with the ball for Mohammed Siraj. Siraj goes for the slower bumper again and really digs it in. The line is tighter around the off stump and again, Dhruv Jurel reaches for it to ramp. Jurel is undone by the height and the lack of pace here as he ends up gloving it behind. Jos Buttler makes no mistake and that marks the end of a fine knock from Jurel.

Banged in well short and outside off, slower too. Dhruv Jurel hops and reaches to upper-cut but fails to get any bat on it.

FOUR! Starts the over with a bang, does Jurel. Full and straight, Siraj misses his mark with the yorker. Jurel drills it away wide of long on and picks up a boundary.

How many can RR get from the last over? Mohammed Siraj to bowl it. He has gone for 39 runs in his three overs so far.

Full and angled well into the batter. Ravindra Jadeja backs away to swing it leg side but misses and wears it on the thighs.

Good comeback from the bowler. Krishna nails the yorker around off, Jurel digs it out into the off side and picks up a single.

SIX! High, high and handsome as well. Fuller length from Prasidh, straighter and right in the slot. Jurel stays still again, clears the front leg and smokes it over deep mid-wicket for a six. 200 up for Rajasthan Royals now.

Goes yorker again, and again it is a low full toss, but difficult to get away. Jadeja backs away and heaves it wide of square leg for one more.

Misses the mark with the yorker and serves a low full toss on off, Jurel swings across the line but gets it off the inner half of the blade. The ball goes through backward square leg for a single.

Full and straight, Jurel stays back and just clips it off the toes. The ball goes to the right of deep mid-wicket and the batters get two runs.

Prasidh Krishna (3-0-32-1) to bowl the penultimate over.

Beaten for pace! Hammered into the deck, slightly wide outside off, at 141.9 kph. Jadeja has a slash at it but the ball sails over his willow.

WIDE! Slower ball from around the wicket, floated full and down the leg side. Jadeja leaves it alone.

Back of a length, wide outside off, slower too, tapped away wide of short third for a run.

Fuller than a good length, skids through on off at nearly 149 clicks. Jurel manages to jam it out in front of square leg and even picks up a brace with the fielders on the fence.

WIDE! Ashok sticks to the slower delivery and goes full and wide, but sprays it beyond the tramline outside off.

A slower bumper, wide outside off, Ravindra Jadeja reaches for it and angles it over backward point for one more.

Short and wide, taking a bit of pace off, Jurel reaches out and cuts it to deep point for one.

SIX! Wow, Jurel has knocked the cover off the ball. Slightly back of a length, angled in towards the batter. Dhruv Jurel stands tall and still before whacking it up and over deep square leg for a six.

Takes pace off, fuller and just around off, Ravindra Jadeja looks to go big down the ground but swings too early and misses. Rabada is done with the ball for the evening, 2 for 42 from his 4 overs.

Fuller and on middle, angling in, Dhruv Jurel flicks it away nicely wide of deep square leg. Glenn Phillips moves to his right quickly and keeps it to just one.

Nicely played and Dhruv Jurel brings up a fine half-century. Full and on the pads, clipped away firmly to the right of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs. FIFTH IPL FIFTY for Jurel and he'll know he's still got a big role to play in this innings.

WIDE! Too high. Banged in short and wide outside off, Jurel fails to ramp and a wide is called.

SIX! Uh, oh! Never a dull moment with Mohammed Siraj in the field. Good length, straighter in line, Dhruv Jurel picks it up and lifts it high towards long on. Siraj backtracks a bit and pouches it just over his head. However, he realizes that one of his legs is about to touch the ropes, and he lifts it but loses balance. He tries to flick the ball up and regain his balance, but both he and the ball end up over the ropes.

Jadeja gets off the mark right away. Hard length, tucked down through square leg for a single.

The Royals are just losing their way a bit here. Ravindra Jadeja walks out to bat now.

OUT! CAUGHT! Another one bites the dust and the Gujarat Titans are fighting back here. Short of a length from Kagiso Rabada, around off and the ball hurries onto the batter. Donovan Ferreira tries to take it on but ends up skewing it high towards deep mid-wicket. Glenn Phillips settles himself just inside the ropes and takes a simple catch, reducing RR to 166/5.

Ashok Sharma has gone off the field now. Hopefully, it is nothing too serious. Also, Kagiso Rabada comes back into the attack now.

Oh, that nearly crept through. Fast and full, tailing back in from just outside off. Dhruv Jurel walks across to flick but gets an inside edge and the ball almost rolls back onto the stumps. According to Ian Bishop on air, that was bowled at 154 kph from Ashok Sharma. So, we now have the fastest delivery bowled this season!

Ashok Sharma has called for the physio. The previous ball hit him on the fingers, and he needs some treatment. He is good to go. However, it looks like GT is not happy with the current ball, with Siraj having a chat with the umpire, but gets no joy.

Full and around off, drilled to mid off where Siraj fumbles and lets it through for a single.

Fiery yorker around off, Donovan Ferreira brings his bat down and digs it out back to the bowler. Wow, that was bowled at 150.7 clicks from Ashok. The on-air commentators inform that this is the second-fastest delivery bowled this season, behind Anrich Nortje's 150.9 kph effort.

A big moment in the game, and the non-review does not cost GT that much. Donovan Ferreira is the next man in.

OUT! TAKEN! A stellar effort in the deep from Mohammed Siraj, and the Titans do see the back of Shimron Hetmyer. Ashok Sharma does take a bit of a risk and goes full and straight, serving the ball in the slot. Hetmyer clears the front leg and pummels it flat and hard to the left of long on. Siraj runs across hard and nearly misjudges it but slams the brakes and puts in a horizontal dive to cling onto it.

FOUR! Excellent use of the bottom hand by Hettie. Good length, on off, Shimron Hetmyer hoicks it across and hits it flat and well in front of square on the leg side for a boundary.

Back of a length, in the channel, guided away down to deep third for a single.

Ashok Sharma (2-0-18-0) is brought back into the attack by Rashid Khan.

Dragged back and outside off, Dhruv Jurel cuts it away to deep point for one.

Slows it up, full and on off, Shimron Hetmyer gets forward and taps it to the right of the bowler. He sets off for the run late, and Rashid Khan moves backwards to get to the ball. He picks up and, while being on the ground, turns around to throw at the bowler's end but misses. That was a risky run from Hettie.

Pushed through quicker, shortish and on off, Dhruv Jurel stabs it down the pitch. The bounce takes it over Rashid's head for a run.

Flatter, short and on leg, Shimron Hetmyer stays back and clips it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Drops it short and on middle, Dhruv Jurel flicks it off the back foot through square leg for a single.

SIX! Up, up and away! Tossed up, full and on middle. Dhruv Jurel charges down the track to get close to the pitch of the ball. He picks the wrong 'un and smokes it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. 150 UP FOR RR.

WIDE! A googly, short and turning down the leg side, Dhruv Jurel misses his flick. Wided.

STRATEGIC BREAK! At the toss, we heard Riyan Parag mention that Rajasthan Royals were targeting a score of around 210 and that's more or less what they will get if they continue at the current run rate. However, with 6 overs left and wickets in hand, RR will certainly be targeting 220-225 runs. Gujarat Titans need wickets, especially after not reviewing that caught behind call of Shimron Hetmyer. Siraj has been off colour, and there will be a lot of pressure on the others to come good at the death. Also, Rashid Khan (3-0-27-1) is back on to finish his spell.

SIX MORE! Short of a length and on middle, but not enough to trouble Hettie. He gets on top of the bounce and whacks it away over the deep square leg fence for another biggie. This will hurt GT even more, knowing that Shimron Hetmyer was out a couple of balls before this.

SIX! Goes all the way! Prasidh Krishna bangs in another bouncer, but angling down the leg side again. Shimron Hetmyer manages to get hold of this one and hooks it over the deep fine leg fence for a biggie.

Low full toss, on off, Shimron Hetmyer drills it to short cover.

Big shout for caught behind, but turned down! Prasidh Krishna bangs this into the pitch, on middle, angling in. Shimron Hetmyer tries to pull it away but it looks like he misses. Jos Buttler grabs it behind the stumps and appeals for it, but gets nothing. Glenn Phillips is the most interested, but Rashid Khan does not take the review here. It's given as wide. Well, well. Later on, UltraEdge shows that the ball did flick the gloves, actually the left thumb of Hetmyer. A big opportunity is missed by GT.

Fuller and on off, Shimron Hetmyer knocks it to mid off.

A quick in and out for the Royals' skipper. Shimron Hetmyer walks in at number 5 now.

OUT! CAUGHT! A soft dismissal, and RR's skipper's stay at the crease is cut short. Prasidh Krishan bowls this at 142.3 kph, lands this on a good length and around off. Riyan Parag goes with hard hands to push it away and gets a bit late into the shot as well. The ball flies off the outer half of the bat, wide of point, where Kumar Kushagra moves to his left, and almost makes a meal of it, but holds on to it.

Fuller in length and on middle, Dhruv Jurel chips it in the air but on the bounce to long on for a single.

Prasidh Krishna is back into the attack.

On a length and on middle, Riyan Parag keeps it out to the leg side. 12 runs and a wicket from the over!

Back of a length and around off, Riyan Parag runs it down wide of deep third for a brace.

SIX! That is some way to get off the mark! Fuller again, on middle and leg. Riyan Parag brings his wrists into play and nonchalantly plays the no-look flick. He times it perfectly as the ball sails over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

One of the sweetest sounds in cricket is when the stumps get shattered. Jaiswal walks back, and in walks skipper, Riyan Parag.

OUT! OFF STUMP UPROOTED! Rabada unleashes a 141.6 kph thunderbolt. He keeps it tight around off and gets it to angle away just enough. Jaiswal shuffles back to create room and swings through the line, looking to slap it through the off side. But he is beaten for sheer pace. The ball whistles past the bat and crashes into the off stump, sending it flat on the ground. A massive wicket for the Titans at this stage with one of the set batters gone. Rabada's reaction says it all, more relief than celebration. A timely breakthrough for the home side as they try to claw things back heading into the death overs.

FOUR! Cheeky and effective! Hard-length delivery and around off. Yashasvi Jaiswal shuffles across early to get inside the line of it and plays the scoop over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Does not carry! Short of a length and on middle, climbs onto the batter. Yashasvi Jaiswal looks to swat it away but miscues it. It lobs up in the air but lands well ahead of mid off.

15 runs off the over and the scoring rate climbs back over 10 runs per over. Meanwhile, Kagiso Rabada (2-0-19-0) is back on.

SIX! Into the stands! Fuller one and on middle, pace on but on the pads. Dhruv Jurel plays the pick-up shot using his wrists and whips it over the deep square leg fence for half a dozen more.

TOP EDGE AND FOUR! Mohammed Siraj delivers the slower bouncer, on middle. Dhruv Jurel looks to pull it away but the ball bounces a bit more, taking the top edge. It goes over the keeper and races to the fine leg fence for four more runs.

Pitched up and on middle, Dhruv Jurel tucks it away to short mid-wicket.

Mohammed Siraj sees the batter move across and serves this full, on off. Yashasvi Jaiswal looks for the scoop but falls over and misses. The ball hits his pad and rolls towards point. Jurel calls him for the leg bye. He gets up but has to hurry to the other end. Replays show that the ball went off the side of the bat and onto the left shoulder of Jaiswal before rolling away.

FOUR! FIFTY FOR JAISWAL! If Vaibhav Sooryavanshi does not get you, Jaiswal will. His 16th IPL half-century and back-to-back against GT, according to Ian Bishop on air. This is on a good length and around off. Jaiswal plays a crisp drive on the up through extra cover for a boundary.

Back of a length and around off, angling across the batter. Yashasvi Jaiswal slashes at it but misses due to the lack of bounce.

Mohammed Siraj returns to the attack, but from the other end. 2 overs for 25 runs so far for him.

FOUR! Streaky! This is short again and around off. Dhruv Jurel moves back and tries to cut but this is too close to his body. He gets a thick outside edge that races away to the third man fence for a boundary.

Flatter and shorter, on middle, Dhruv Jurel tucks it away to short mid-wicket.

Quicker one, full and outside off, Dhruv Jurel tries the reverse sweep but misses.

A shout for caught behind, but turned down! Jos Buttler looks interested and Rashid Khan takes the review here. This is fired full and down the leg side. Dhruv Jurel goes down to paddle it away but misses. The replay clearly shows a big gap between bat and ball. Review lost for GT!

Short again and on middle, Dhruv Jurel nudges it through square leg for a couple of runs.

FOUR! Top-class shot! Floated, short and around middle. Dhruv Jurel rocks back, but it is not that short to pull. He heaves it and generates excellent timing through mid-wicket for a boundary. 100 up for RR!

A dot to end the over and RR are 97/1 after 10 overs. Slightly short and slower, angled into the batter. Jaiswal looks to pull but wears it on the body instead.

A slower short ball, Jurel plays a controlled pull behind square leg and picks up a run.

Gets away with it, does Ashok. A leg-stump half volley at 149 clicks, Jurel flicks it straight to the mid-wicket fielder.

Good length, around the top of off, Jurel hangs back and just defends it off.

FOUR! Wow, what a shot! On a hard length, a hint of width outside off and at 145.7 kph. Dhruv Jurel stays upright, gets his hands through it and smacks it up and over covers for a boundary.

On a fuller length and around off, Dhruv Jurel gets forward and drives it straight back. Prasidh Krishna at mid off cuts it off to his right at mid off.

Ashok Sharma is back into the attack.

Shorter one from around the wicket, angled into the batter. Jaiswal hops back and short-arms jabs it wide of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Length ball at the stumps, worked away through the mid-wicket region for one more by Jurel.

Tossed up, full around off, eased down to long off for a single.

Dragged shorter on middle, this is pulled off the back foot by Jurel to deep mid-wicket and for a single.

FIVE WIDES! Oh, that's loose from Rashid. Full and flat, well down leg, Jurel sits down to sweep but misses and the ball goes past the keeper and into the fine leg fence.

Bowled flatter on middle and leg, Yashasvi Jaiswal just pushes it down to long on and rotates the strike.

That in-between length again, quicker through the air as well. Jurel rocks back and forces the ball through square leg for a single.

FOUR! Breaks the shackles, does Jaiswal. Full and wide, Jaiswal is early to back away and he stays deep in the crease, managing to scythe it away past point for a boundary.

Shorter in length again, outside off and at 139.1 kph. Jurel opens the bat face and runs it down to the right of deep third for one.

Shortish length, angled in towards the batter, Jurel works it to short mid-wicket.

A wide yorker, right on the money. Yashasvi Jaiswal reaches out and gets a bottom edge. The ball rolls towards leg gully and he picks up a single.

No run there either. Back of a length, over middle, Jaiswal nudges it into the leg side and looks to pinch a single but the bowler is quick to rush to the ball.

Pitched up, full on off, Jaiswal drives it back and Prasidh gets a hand on the followthrough, deflecting it to mid on.

Spin from both ends? No, Prasidh Krishna to continue.

On the pads, worked away to deep mid-wicket for a run. End of a successful first over for Rashid Khan.

Flatter again, angled into the batter, Jurel tucks it to deep square leg for just another single.

Pushed through quicker, on middle and leg, clipped away past square leg for one more by Jaiswal.

Full on middle, driven down to long on for a single.

The 70-run opening stand has been broken, and the crowd finds its voice again. Dhruv Jurel walks out to bat at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT! The captain takes matters into his own hands. Rashid drags the length back, bowling it on off and middle and he gets the ball to turn back in a bit. The length is neither full enough to slog sweep, nor is it short enough to pull. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ends up just dragging it towards deep mid-wicket, where Glenn Phillips takes a simple catch.

Slightly tossed up, full and outside off, crunched to deep cover-point for one.

Strategic Break! Absolute domination from the Rajasthan Royals in the Powerplay. As expected, the deadly duo of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal have gone all guns blazing and are looking really dangerous for the hosts. A couple of half-chances were created, but the Gujarat Titans failed to grab them, which you have to take against quality batters. A lot to think about for stand-in skipper, Rashid Khan, as they have to come up with some different plans. He brings himself into the attack after the break.

A dot to end the Powerplay, but the damage has been done. Just back of a length, angled into the batter. Sooryavanshi gets cramped for room and tucks it down to mid-wicket. The Royals are 69/0 after 6 overs.

Hard length on middle, awkwardly flicked away through mid on for a single by Jaiswal.

FOUR! Oh, that's raced away. Back of a length, slightly straighter in line, Jaiswal walks inside the line and nudges it away. The ball goes between square leg and short fine leg, and beats the two chasing fielders as it rolls into the fence.

SIX! Clobbered! Good length again, around the top of off, Yashasvi Jaiswal stays put and just smokes it like a homerun in baseball, and the ball sails over long on for a biggie.

No timing! Hard length, on a tight line around off, Jaiswal backs away to cut but ends up jamming it down to cover.

Starts on a good length, bowling it in the channel. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi caresses it through covers for one.

Double change? Yes, indeed. GT use their 4th pacer as Prasidh Krishna comes into the attack.

Pitched up and on off, Yashasvi Jaiswal drills it towards short cover.

Short again and on middle, Yashasvi Jaiswal gets on top of the bounce and pulls it through mid-wicket for a brace.

Bangs this into the pitch at 141 kph, on middle. Yashasvi Jaiswal is a bit late to get out of the way. He tries to upper cut it late but fails to connect. Buttler thinks he has heard something, but gets no real support from anyone else.

On a length and on middle, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi pats it down towards mid off for a quick single.

SIX! Shot of class! Short of a length and outside off. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sways away a bit, uses the pace on the ball and cuts it over point for a massive six. The 50 is up for Rajasthan Royals.

A slight halt as Mohammed Siraj has hurt himself while trying to save the boundary. Replays show that Siraj ended up rolling over the ball as he tried to flick it back and has hurt his groin area. For now, he is off the field and receiving treatment. Hopefully, he is fine.

EDGED, DROPPED AND FOUR! Ashok Sharma goes fuller at 147.4 kph and around off, angling away. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi throws his bat at it hard but gets a thick outside edge wide of the keeper. Jos Buttler flings himself to his left, trying to grab it with his outstretched glove but only parries it away towards deep third. Mohammed Siraj in the deep runs to his right and dives to push the ball back inside, but the ball gets under him, hitting his knee and rolling to the fence. Siraj looks in a bit of pain as well.

Ashok Sharma comes into the attack now, replacing Mohammed Siraj.

SIX! Clean hit! Rabada tries to test the batter with another short ball, but this one sits up nicely for the batter. Yashasvi Jaiswal is quick to pounce on it, swivels and nails the pull shot over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. 12 from the over, and RR have raced away to 44/0 in 4 overs.

Slower one, on a length and on off, Yashasvi Jaiswal pats it down in front of backward point.

Play and a miss! Hits the length hard and just around off, angling it away again. Yashasvi Jaiswal tries to run it down to third man but fails to connect.

Run out chance...missed! Touch fuller and on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi drives it towards mid off and sets off for the run. Rashid Khan is quick to pick it up and has a shy at the bowler's end but misses the target. Vaibhav would have been a goner if that had hit.

FOUR! Fine shot! Kagiso Rabada lands this short of a length and around off, takes pace off, angling away as well. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi makes use of his fast hands and scythes it over point for a boundary.

WIDE! Bangs in a quick bouncer, but this goes a bit too high for the batter. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ducks under it. Called a wide.

A wide yorker, outside off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reaches out for it, but gets a bottom edge towards mid-wicket.

No respite from the two RR openers and they have racked up 25 runs off Siraj's two overs so far. KG to continue from the other end...

On a length and on middle, Yashasvi Jaiswal tucks it towards mid-wicket and wants the run but is sent back. The fielder scores a direct hit at the batter's end, but Jaiswal is well inside.

Almost a stunner from Jos Buttler! Back of a length and way down the leg side. Yashasvi Jaiswal gets inside the line of it to hook it, but ends up gloving it behind. Buttler dives to his right and tries to grab it with his outstretched glove but the ball just does not stick. This could be a big moment in the game.

FOUR! Not timed but gets the result! Siraj pushes his length just a tad fuller, but outside off. Yashasvi Jaiswal throws his hands at it. It hits him high on the bat but flies well over mid off for another boundary.

Much better! Good length, on middle, Yashasvi Jaiswal stays back and blocks it down the pitch.

WIDE! Errs in line again, on a length and down the leg again. Yashasvi Jaiswal gets no bat on it. Wided. Siraj is struggling with his lines here.

FOUR! Poor delivery and rightly punished! Siraj tries to overcompensate and bowls a scrambled-seam delivery, but lands this on a good length down the leg side. Yashasvi Jaiswal clips it away, beating short fine to his left for a boundary.

SIX! Shot of the match so far! Mohammed Siraj goes fuller and a bit outside off. Yashasvi Jaiswal extends his arms to get under it and carves it beautifully over deep extra cover for a biggie.

Early change in the bowling? Nope. Siraj to continue.

Hits the length hard, on middle off. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has no room to work with this time and blocks it out. A decent start from Rabada.

FOUR! Up and over! Kagiso Rabada serves this full again but just around off. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets a little bit of width to free his arms and tries to loft it down the ground. He does not get it from the middle but gets enough to clear Rashid Khan at mid off for four more runs.

Much fuller and on middle, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets his front leg out but only manages to bunt it out towards mid on.

WIDE! Goes for the yorker but just spills it down the leg side, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fails to get any bat on that one. Called a wide.

Short of a length and on the sixth stump line, angling away a bit. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stays back and stabs it down towards point.

Slightly fuller in length, on middle and leg, Yashasvi Jaiswal flicks it to deep square leg for a run.

Kagiso Rabada begins with a hard-length delivery around off. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi opens the face of his bat and guides it through backward point for a single.

Action-packed start to the game. It will be Kagiso Rabada to start from the other end. Also, ICYMI, earlier in the opening game of the day, Delhi Capitals beat Mumbai Indians in Delhi. Chasing 163 runs for the win, Sameer Rizvi hit a colossal 90 off just 51 balls as DC galloped to the finish line with 11 balls remaining. Two wins out of two for the Capitals as Mumbai lose their first game of the season.

Back of a length and around off, Yashasvi Jaiswal punches it towards extra cover, where Glenn Phillips moves to his right to make a good sliding stop. 10 runs off the first over then!

Much fuller and on middle, shaping in, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi drills it out to long on for a run.

FOUR! You just cannot bowl there! This is banged into the pitch but down the leg side again. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi needs no second invitation, swivels and hooks it through the fine leg region for another boundary.

Pulls his length back a bit, does Siraj, on middle. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fails to clip it away and gets hit high on the pads. A slight appeal for LBW, but turned down.

FOUR! Easy pickings! Mohammed Siraj goes fuller but drifts down the leg side. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi makes no mistake and glances it away to the deep fine leg fence for the first boundary.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rajasthan Royals are underway! Mohammed Siraj starts with a good-length delivery, on middle and leg. Jaiswal flicks it through square leg for a single.

All in readiness for the game to begin. The two umpires are the first ones out in the middle, and the players of Gujarat Titans are also seen taking their places on the field. It will be the young and destructive duo of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to open the innings for the Royals. Mohammed Siraj will take the new ball for GT. He has one slip in place to begin with. Let's play...

Areas to improve - Rashid Khan starts by saying that they did want to bowl first anyway, as it is a fresh wicket and the bowlers will get some help early on. Informs that Shubman Gill has a bit of a muscle spasm and will be missing out today. Further informs that as Gill is out, Kumar Kushagra comes in to make his debut. Mentions that they will take the positives from the last game and look to improve further.

Wants to be flexible as a team - Riyan Parag says he wants to bat first, as the statistics favour that option around 70 per cent, and accordingly, they have tweaked their team composition. He adds that the team will assess the conditions and adapt accordingly. He remarks that setting a target is something a side has to do at some stage in a tournament and says he is glad they get the chance to do it early in the season. Parag further says they are hoping to post a score in the 200 to 210 range and defend it later. Adds that he wants his side to be a team that can perform in any conditions, stressing that he does not want them to rely on just one brand of cricket and instead wants his team to remain flexible. Informs that there are a few changes in the XI.

Impact Player options for GT - Shahrukh Khan, Jason Holder, Manav Suthar, Anuj Rawat, and Jayant Yadav.

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI) - Kumar Kushagra (On GT debut) (In for Shubman Gill), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (WK), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan (C), Mohammed Siraj, Ashok Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, and Prasidh Krishna (In for Shahrukh Khan).

Impact Player options for RR - Ravi Singh, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Shubham Dubey, Brijesh Sharma, and Ravi Bishnoi.

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI) - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira (In for Ravi Bishnoi), Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande (In for Brijesh Sharma), and Sandeep Sharma.

TOSS - It's toss time in Ahmedabad. The captains of both teams are out in the middle. Actually, it is Rashid Khan who has come out for the toss in place of Shubman Gill. Riyan Parag is alongside Rashid and will call. Parag calls 'Heads,' and it lands in his favour. Rajasthan Royals will BAT first.

PITCH REPORT - WV Raman is pitchside with his analysis. He starts by saying that the outfield looks lush green and fast, adding that the straight boundary is 74 meters, with the square boundaries being 64 and 67 meters on either side. Former Protea pacer, Dale Steyn, joins WV and says that there is a little bit of grass, especially a long tramline along the 22 yards just outside the left-hander's off stump (from where Dale is standing). Informs that recently, 8 out of 9 times, the teams winning the toss have decided to chase but have been successful just twice. The pair ends by citing that 200-plus is definitely a possibility on this wicket, but if the pacers can hit the top of off, they will get some purchase as well.

Toss to play a crucial role? In recent times, we have seen teams prefer to chase in the IPL and the dew in the evening games does play a big role. But in early April, the dew might not be the decisive factor, rather just an added factor apart from teams actually just confident in chasing down big scores. We can expect a high-scoring game, so stay tuned for the toss and team news.

Homecoming for the Titans - For the Gujarat Titans, the focus will be on their powerhouse top order. The trio of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler, who will be facing his former team, will be looking to exploit a pitch that has traditionally been a batter's paradise. On the bowling front, they have the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Rashid Khan, who have been fairly consistent and also Prasidh Krishna, who has been a brilliant wicket-taker for GT since the start of the 2025 season. However, Kagiso Rabada will be under pressure as his T20 form continues to put up more questions than answers.

The Royal touch - Even with the historical head-to-head in this fixture stacked against them, the 2026 iteration of the Rajasthan Royals looks particularly formidable. Their batting lineup features the teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has taken the league by storm, alongside the explosive Yashasvi Jaiswal. With Ravindra Jadeja and Jofra Archer anchoring a versatile bowling unit, the Men in Pink possess the firepower to challenge Gujarat’s historic dominance at this venue.

Kem cho, Amdavad? The high-octane drama of IPL 2026 shifts to the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad as the Gujarat Titans host the Rajasthan Royals in Match 9. This encounter finds the two teams on contrasting paths early in the new season. The Titans, led by Shubman Gill, are eager to defend their home turf and bounce back from a three-wicket loss to Punjab Kings. Meanwhile, the Royals, captained by Riyan Parag, arrive with soaring confidence after a dominant dismantling of Chennai Super Kings, chasing down 127 in just 12 overs to start their season 1-0.

... MATCH DAY ...

Saturday night action - The first double-header of the 2026 Indian Premier League season is here, and Match 9 of the tournament sees the Gujarat Titans host the Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The overall head-to-head rivalry favours the Titans, who have won 6 of the 8 meetings between the two sides. They will be eager to bounce back after their opening defeat, while the Royals will look to build on their early momentum and make a strong statement. A commanding start for the Royals - Rajasthan couldn't have asked for a better beginning to their new chapter under the leadership of Riyan Parag. At their alternate home in Guwahati, they brushed aside the Chennai Super Kings in convincing fashion. A settled core takes shape - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has begun the season in explosive fashion with a 15-ball fifty. It was against the Gujarat Titans that he had announced his arrival last season with a stunning 35-ball hundred, and that should give him plenty of confidence heading into this contest. With just 128 to chase, the openers did most of the heavy lifting, leaving the middle order with little to do. With Dhruv Jurel at number 3, Parag in the middle, and Shimron Hetmyer at number 5, the Royals possess a solid core that will be interesting to track as the season progresses. New ball battle to watch - Jofra Archer needed a few games during the World Cup to find his rhythm, but looked sharp right away in Guwahati. Alongside Nandre Burger, he formed a lively and effective new-ball partnership. Their encounter against the GT opening pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan will be one of the storylines of this game. Spin set for a tough test - Ravindra Jadeja also made his presence felt with the ball on his return to the Royals. However, neither he nor Ravi Bishnoi boasts strong numbers against the Titans. A test awaits them on a ground where spinners went at 9.58 runs per over last IPL season. The Titans seek a quick turnaround - As for the Gujarat Titans, they have begun their campaign with a defeat at the hands of the Punjab Kings, just as they did against the same opposition in 2025. Despite the loss, the 2022 champions can take encouragement from the fight they showed with the ball. Missed opportunities with the bat - It was a case of batters getting starts but failing to convert them. While it wasn't a 200-run surface, a stronger finish could have taken GT to a more competitive total, potentially changing the result. The presence of Glenn Phillips, who made his debut for the franchise against Punjab, adds valuable depth and reduces their reliance on the core trio of Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler. GT need Rabada at his best - Kagiso Rabada, who looked off-colour at the T20 World Cup, endured another underwhelming outing to start the IPL. GT will be hoping the Proteas speedster can rediscover his rhythm and lead the attack with greater impact moving forward. Sai Kishore conundrum - The left-arm finger spinner was Gujarat's standout performer in Ahmedabad last season, picking up 9 wickets in 7 games. While GT could be tempted to bring Sai into the XI, RR have three left-handers in their top five, making that match-up a potential risk they will need to weigh carefully. Team form (Last 5 completed games, recent first) - GT - LLLLW | RR - WWLLL. What to expect? In the 2025 IPL season in Ahmedabad, the average runs per over was at 10.16, the second-highest among venues that hosted at least five matches. That does spell trouble for the bowlers, but the relatively larger boundary dimensions offer some respite, and it will be something they will look to use to their advantage. So, with two sides packed with firepower, expect plenty of fireworks to light up your weekend.