Our Titans aim to bounce back at home against Rajasthan Royals
With six wins out of eight matches, the Gujarat Titans hold a clear edge over the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.
03 April, 2026
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Our Titans didn't have the best of starts to the campaign, going down in a closely fought contest to Punjab Kings in the opening game despite a spirited performance. Having said that, we will look for a quick turnaround when we take on Rajasthan Royals in Match 9 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at our Gujaratno Gadh, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on April 04 at 7:30 PM IST.
After being put in to bat against the Kings, our skipper Shubman Gill set the tone early with a quickfire 39 off 27. This was followed by vital contributions from Buttler 38(33), Phillips 25(17) and Sundar 18(16), helping us post a competitive total of 162.
In the second innings, Prasidh Krishna was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/29. Rashid Khan also chipped in with an economical spell of 1/29, helping us stay in the contest. Our debutant Ashok Sharma too made a positive impact as he dismissed Marco Jansen in the death overs.
Going into the upcoming contest, our Titans will be aiming to make a strong mark at our fortress. The batting unit looks to be in good touch and we will be aiming to go big against the Royals’ strong bowling attack.
The excitement continues to build as Gill showcased his batting fireworks in the nets, leaving us eagerly anticipating what he’ll bring to the pitch next.
Skiddy looked in great touch as well, consistently showcasing his variations and control over lengths during training under the watchful eye of our Head Coach, Ashish Nehra.
Interestingly, whenever we have faced Rajasthan Royals, our star all-rounder Rashid Khan has always been the player to watch out for. He has picked up 10 wickets against the Royals and is the leading wicket-taker in this matchup.
His most impactful spell in our colours came in 2023, when he dismantled the opposition with figures of 3 for 14, powering us to a commanding nine-wicket win.
But he’s just as clutch with the bat. In April 2024, with us seven down chasing 197 against Rajasthan, he stepped up with a blazing 24* off 11. Four boundaries, ice in his veins and a match-winning hit off the final ball as he carried us home in a thriller that perfectly captures what he brings to our Titans.
On a lighter note, as we train in Ahmedabad, it’s always special to see Indian Test teammates Mohammed Siraj and Yashasvi Jaiswal share a heartfelt moment filled with warm hugs, friendly greetings and a touch of fun that brings smiles all around.
As we prepare for this upcoming battle, we can expect some fireworks from our boys and as always, we are ready for any challenge thrown our way Aava De!
Gujarat Titans squad for IPL 2026:
Batters: Shubman Gill (captain), Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Tom Banton
All-Rounders: Glenn Phillips, Jason Holder, Nishant Sandhu, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Rashid Khan
Wicket-Keepers: Anuj Rawat, Jos Buttler, Kumar Kushagra
Bowlers: Sai Kishore, Arshad Khan, Ashok Sharma, Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Kagiso Rabada, Kulwant Khejroliya, Luke Wood, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
A look at the opposition
Rajasthan Royals, led by Riyan Parag, began their TATA IPL campaign with a convincing eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings.
In their upcoming contest, the Royals boast a dynamic opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Meanwhile, their middle order of Jurel, skipper Parag and Hetmyer provide depth and versatility to the batting order. Their bowling unit features the experienced Ravindra Jadeja alongside Archer and Ravi Bishnoi, posing a strong challenge.
Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals head-to-head record
We hold the edge in this rivalry with six wins from eight encounters against the Royals. However, the last time we met in April 2025, we went down by eight wickets and we’ll be keen to turn things around come Saturday.
Milestones to keep an eye on
Rashid Khan is 127 runs away from notching up 3000 runs in T20s. Shubman Gill is 49 runs away from 5500 runs in T20s.
Rahul Tewatia is seven sixes away from 100 sixes in T20s.
Washington Sundar is seven maximums away from hitting 50 sixes in T20s. Sai Kishore is five wickets away from taking 100 wickets in T20’s in India.
