Ravi Bishnoi\u2019s return to form turned into a decisive night as the Rajasthan Royals edged the Gujarat Titans by six runs in an IPL 2026 encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium. After receiving the Player of the Match award, the leg-spinner pointed to the work behind the scenes and the collective effort that helped RR defend a tight total.<\/p>\n
Bishnoi played the role of wrecker-in-chief after being introduced as an Impact Player. He ripped through the Titans\u2019 middle order with figures of 4 for 41 from his four overs, delivering the breakthrough moments RR needed at crucial stages of the chase. His spell ended up dismantling Gujarat\u2019s structure, with wickets of Sai Sudharshan, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar and Rahul Tewatia.<\/p>\n
The performance marked Bishnoi\u2019s first Player of the Match of the season and underlined how quickly a game can swing in T20 cricket when a spinner strikes at the right time. By taking out key batters in succession, he broke the rhythm of GT\u2019s innings and set up the foundation for a narrow win.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Bishnoi looked back on his recent struggles and explained how he has been managing his craft. \u201cIt was a difficult season last year. When I miss my length, I get hit. I was trying to work on my lengths, and if anyone hits off those, then no problem. Mental, technical and physical (effort) all together. Had to bowl a lot of balls (to keep improving).\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked about his favourite wicket, the RR spinner singled out Tewatia. \u201cThe wicket of Rahul (Tewatia). He is a player renowned for such situations. If he had not been dismissed then, the match could have gone either way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bishnoi also highlighted the importance of the team\u2019s execution during the death overs. \u201cThe way Tushar Deshpande bowled, the way Jofra Archer bowled the 19th, it was a collective effort. It is a young team, and we hope to continue entertaining,\u201d he said, crediting the bowlers who held their nerve under pressure.<\/p>\n
For Rajasthan, the 2008 champions showed the temperament required to close out a tense contest. Gujarat put up a strong fight, with Sai Sudharshan leading the resistance and a late push from Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada. However, Bishnoi\u2019s four-wicket haul ultimately proved decisive, tipping the balance in RR\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n
The finish was tense all the way to the last over. Gujarat needed 11 runs off the final set, but Tushar Deshpande kept his composure and conceded only four runs. He also removed Rashid Khan, who struck 24 off 16 balls. Rashid and Rabada combined for a 43-run stand, with the latter remaining unbeaten on 23 from 16 deliveries, but it was not enough to overhaul the target.<\/p>\n
With the victory, Rajasthan moved to the top of the IPL 2026 points table, collecting four points from their first two matches and carrying a Net Run Rate of 2.233. For Gujarat, the result was their second consecutive defeat and also the first time they have lost both of their opening matches of the season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ravi Bishnoi\u2019s return to form turned into a decisive night as the Rajasthan Royals edged the Gujarat Titans by six runs in an IPL 2026…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: Ravi Bishnoi Stars as RR Beat GT by 6 Runs","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Ravi Bishnoi\u2019s Player of the Match spell helps Rajasthan Royals beat Gujarat Titans by 6 runs in IPL 2026\u2014team effort shines at Narendra Modi Stadium.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n