Rajasthan Royals are set to host Gujarat Titans in match No. 52 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday, May 9.
Both teams are in contention to make it to the playoffs and this makes the upcoming encounter all the more fascinating. The Royals are placed at No. 4 with six wins and four defeats from 10 games. The Titans have an identical record but are sitting at No. 5 because they have a net run rate of -0.147 compared to 0.510 of the Royals.
These two teams met each other earlier in the tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on April 4. The Riyan Parag-led side won a high-scoring thriller by six runs.
Predicted Impact Players for Rajasthan Royals (RR):
Tushar Deshpande: Tushar Deshpande came in as the Impact Player in the last game against the Delhi Capitals and bowled decently. He can go for runs but he has the knack of picking up wickets at crucial times.
Ravi Singh: A middle-order batter who impressed for the Railways team in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Ravi Singh is still waiting for his IPL debut.
Dasun Shanaka: Dasun Shanaka played just one game but didn’t get to bat. He was subsequently dropped from the side in the last game as the Royals played with just three overseas players.
Yash Raj Punia: The 19-year-old has played two matches this season and picked up three wickets at an economy rate of 8.25. However, he will have to sit on the bench unless the Royals want him to bowl in tandem with fellow leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi.
Adam Milne: Adam Milne is waiting to play his first IPL game since March 2022. The New Zealand seamer will find it difficult to get into the side as Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger have done well as a pair.
IPL 2026: RR’s strongest predicted XI against GT
Gujarat Titans (GT):
Rahul Tewatia:Â Rahul Tewatia is expected to come in as the Impact Player if GT bat second. He has only scored 78 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 120.
Anuj Rawat: A former RCB player, Anuj Rawat gives GT a solid batting option with his stylish left-hand gameplay. With Tewatia not being in great form, the Titans’ management could give him a go.
Kulwant Khejoliya: Left-arm seamer Kulwant Khejroliya hasn’t had a game so far this season and it isn’t surprising as Titans’ seam-bowling attack has been brilliant all season.
Kumar Kushagra: The talented wicketkeeper-batter opened the batting in one game when Shubman Gill was injured.Â
Glenn Phillips:Â Glenn Phillips was given several chances but he failed to make it count and eventually lost his place in the side to Jason Holder, who has been fantastic so far.
Expert opinions and strategies:
Home Advantage: Rajasthan Royals are the home team but whether they would be able to use that to their advantage will be interesting to see.
Recent Form: In the last five head-to-head encounters, GT have the edge with three wins, while RR have secured two victories.
Balanced Side: Both teams have strong batting as well as bowling departments. However, the Titans have more players firing at the moment.
Final Prediction: The Titans could be slight favourites heading into the match. However, if the surface is a high-scoring one, the chasing team will have an advantage.
