Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals Prediction & Match Preview – IPL 2026 Qualifier 2

Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals meet in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026, with a place in the final riding on the result. Gujarat finished second in the league phase with nine wins from 14 games under Shubman Gill, but they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 and will want a fix for the top-order wobbles that cost them.

Their batting has been built on Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler. Gill has 618 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 159.28, and Buttler has added 498 at a similar rate. Washington Sundar has 311 runs, and Rahul Tewatia’s 68 against RCB was a rare middle-order highlight. In the attack, Kagiso Rabada has 26 wickets, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna share 32, Jason Holder has 15 in nine matches and Rashid Khan has 19.

Rajasthan, led by Riyan Parag, sealed their playoff place with a win over Mumbai Indians and then beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator at Mullanpur, where 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck 97 off 29 balls with 12 sixes. He has 680 runs at a strike rate of 242.86, while Yashasvi Jaiswal has 426 and Dhruv Jurel 508. Jofra Archer has 24 wickets, with Nandre Burger and Brijesh Sharma on 13 each, and Ravi Bishnoi, Ravindra Jadeja and debutant Yash Raj Punja (nine wickets) supply spin.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

Mullanpur usually offers a balanced surface. The hard pitch gives good pace and bounce, so batters can play their shots once set, while quicks get some help and extra carry with the new ball. The wicket tends to ease for batting as the game goes on, and spinners may find a little grip in the middle overs. Totals of 165–180 are generally competitive, and anything beyond 180 puts real pressure on the chasing side.

Weather

It is expected to be hot and breezy at the 7:30 pm local start, at around 33–35°C under partly cloudy, hazy skies. Humidity should be moderate and the steady wind may help the seamers. A few isolated thunderstorms are possible in nearby areas later on, but the forecast suggests little risk of rain interruptions.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 185–200
• 2nd innings: 175–190

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