Gujarat Titans will head to Jaipur on May 9 with a clear reminder of what Vaibhav Sooryavanshi can do \u2014 a batters\u2019 century that defined the conversation last season. The Titans and Rajasthan Royals had already met earlier in IPL 2026, and in that contest RR edged GT by six runs. Rajasthan\u2019s success was powered by Ravi Bishnoi, whose spell was decisive, finishing with figures of 4\/41 (4). This time around, however, GT\u2019s biggest focus will be the young right-hand batter, who is only 15 years old and has already shown he can unsettle even the most established names.<\/p>\n
Sooryavanshi has repeatedly looked comfortable against senior opposition, taking on bowlers such as Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood with ease. When RR played GT in Ahmedabad earlier this season, he produced a rapid burst of batting, smashing 31 runs off just 18 balls. His innings included five boundaries and a maximum, and he struck at 172.22, turning pressure into momentum for his team. And while that cameo showcased his ability to accelerate, it was last season\u2019s Jaipur story that truly set the benchmark.<\/p>\n
In the previous campaign at the same venue, Sooryavanshi struck a century against Gujarat Titans \u2014 a knock that also ranked as the second-fastest hundred in IPL history. The teenager attacked the bowling with the confidence of a seasoned campaigner, reaching 101 off just 38 deliveries. His innings featured seven fours and 11 sixes, with a strike rate of 265.79, underlining how aggressively he chooses to play. For GT, the challenge now is not just stopping runs, but doing so against a batter who can flip a match in very few balls, and who carries that kind of fear into opponents\u2019 plans.<\/p>\n
Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan highlighted exactly why that earlier innings will still linger in the minds of both teams. Speaking on JioStar, he said there will be memories of the knock against GT last season \u2014 not only for the Royals\u2019 \u201cFearless Prodigy\u201d but also for the Titans\u2019 bowling unit. Pathan noted how unexpected it was to see a teenager take on the best, especially when the match situation wasn\u2019t going RR\u2019s way. \u201cThere will be memories of that knock,\u201d he added, pointing to the impact of Sooryavanshi\u2019s fearless approach.<\/p>\n
On the points table, Rajasthan Royals currently sit fourth, having won six matches and lost four. They have also played one game more than fifth-placed Gujarat Titans, who are on 10 points. Despite the Titans\u2019 position in the standings, the season\u2019s narrative has increasingly revolved around Sooryavanshi, who has emerged as one of the league\u2019s standout performers. He has amassed 404 runs from 10 matches, averaging 40.40, and his strike rate stands at 237.64. So far, he has already recorded one century and two half-centuries in the season, reinforcing his role as a consistent match-winner rather than a one-off event.<\/p>\n
Pathan further suggested that the dynamic may feel different this time, even though Sooryavanshi\u2019s threat remains the same. He observed that the situation has shifted: RR have managed to lock in a place in the top four, while GT are gradually building momentum. With 400-plus runs for the youngster at a strike rate near 230, he described it as outrageous and said it will be intriguing to see whether the Royals\u2019 young core can deliver again on what are expected to be flatter wickets in Jaipur.<\/p>\n
For Gujarat Titans, May 9 presents a straightforward but demanding task \u2014 to find a way to neutralise a batter who has already shown he can dominate across conditions. For Rajasthan, it is about converting that fear factor into another big innings, this time on the road and under the spotlight created by last season\u2019s century and the earlier win in IPL 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gujarat Titans will head to Jaipur on May 9 with a clear reminder of what Vaibhav Sooryavanshi can do \u2014 a batters\u2019 century that defined…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6948,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"GT vs RR IPL 2026: Irfan Pathan Warns Ahead of Jaipur","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Irfan Pathan issues a sharp warning as Gujarat Titans head to Jaipur for IPL 2026 vs Rajasthan Royals\u2014Vaibhav\u2019s century and RR\u2019s key bowlers in focus.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n