Yashasvi Jaiswal will captain Rajasthan Royals in their IPL 2026 match against Gujarat Titans at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday. Jaiswal has been named stand-in skipper because Riyan Parag is unavailable after injuring his hamstring, leaving the Royals to reshuffle their leadership for this fixture.
Parag had been handed the full-time captaincy ahead of the campaign, after Sanju Samson’s move to Chennai Super Kings in a trade that involved Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Jadeja has been part of RR’s setup this season, while Curran’s participation in the tournament ended early due to injury.
Quick facts
- Match: Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans, IPL 2026
- Venue: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
- Date/Day: Saturday
- Stand-in captain: Yashasvi Jaiswal for RR due to Riyan Parag’s hamstring injury
- Parag’s prior appointment: Full-time captain of RR before the season
- Samson trade: Moved to Chennai Super Kings in an exchange involving Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran
- Curran status: Ruled out of the season due to injury
- Current form: GT and RR each have 6 wins and 4 losses from 10 matches
- Net run rate gap: GT at -0.147; RR at 0.510
- Recent stretch: RR have lost 3 of their last 5; GT have won 3 in a row
- Batting second preference: Both teams would like to chase at this venue
Gujarat Titans head into the contest with confidence after finding momentum, aiming to keep their winning streak going while also trying to leapfrog a Rajasthan side that has looked shaky in recent games. The clash sits in the mid-table zone and could reshape the standings, depending on how the teams handle the key moments.
There is very little separating them on the table so far. Gujarat Titans, the 2022 champions, sit close to Rajasthan Royals, who are fourth in the current standings, with the net run rate showing GT at -0.147 and RR at 0.510. Despite the different positioning, both teams have recorded six victories and four defeats from their opening 10 matches.
Why Gujarat fancy the matchup
Shubman Gill leads the Titans’ charge, and the team believes the timing is right against a Royals outfit that has dropped three matches in their last five. With three straight wins behind them, Gujarat are not just chasing two points—they want to push their way into the top four.
For Rajasthan, the objective is to arrest the slide quickly, especially with a leadership change in place. The Royals will be looking to steady their top order and control the middle overs, particularly against a Gujarat side that has been peaking in the same phase of the season.
Batting numbers shaping the threat
Gujarat’s batting has been built on steady contributions, and Gill has been central to it with 378 runs so far. He will be eager to turn starts into a large total, while Sai Sudharsan—on 385 runs—will be equally motivated after delivering two fifties and a hundred in his last four outings.
Jos Buttler’s return to reliable form adds another layer of danger at the top. With the Titans also possessing finishers capable of closing out innings under pressure, their batting depth becomes a problem for any bowling attack once the match turns.
Still, Gujarat’s balance has a known weakness: if wickets fall in clusters, the pressure can cascade down the order. That concern has already been exposed—earlier in the season, the Titans were bowled out for 100 against Mumbai Indians when a collapse took hold.
Jadeja-less? Pace pressure from Rabada and others
On the bowling front, Kagiso Rabada has been a standout with 16 wickets, anchoring a high-quality pace unit. Gujarat will also be encouraged by the way Prasidh Krishna (12 wickets) and Mohammed Siraj (11) have contributed alongside him.
The venue itself is a factor too. With 220-plus totals successfully chased on two occasions at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, both teams would prefer to bat second, banking on chase-friendly conditions and the ability to manage the game in the final overs.
