The Rajasthan Royals (RR) take on the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the western Derby in Match 52 of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday, 8 May. Both sides are in with a chance to qualify for the playoffs, and a win would increase their chances of achieving the feat.

RR have not had the best of times in Jaipur, losing both of their games at the venue since moving from Guwahati. Their most recent defeat came at the hands of the Delhi Capitals, where they failed to defend 226 in the second innings.

GT, on the other hand, are on a roll, winning three games on the bounce and are fifth in the standings. The 2022 champions secured a win over the Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad in their previous fixture to come level on points with RR and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

RR vs GT on Saturday could be seen as a battle between both sides’ top order. The top for both teams has scored the bulk of the runs, with the opposition bowling needing to be at the top of their game to get the breakthrough.

Predicted Playing XI:

Rajasthan Royals:

Top Order: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (WK)

The Royal’s top three are also their three highest run-scorer in this season’s IPL. Apart from their last game against DC, the opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been extremely productive up front, scoring 716 runs between them from 10 matches. The former is currently in the hunt for the Orange Cap, scoring 404 runs at an outstanding strike-rate of 237.64.

Middle Order: Riyan Parag (C), Shubham Dubey, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja

RR’s middle order has finally come good in the past couple of matches, taking the burden of scoring away from the top order. Skipper Riyan Parag returned to form in their last game, scoring 90 off 50 deliveries. Donovan Ferreira, meanwhile, has become one of IPL’s best finishers, capable of scoring at strike-rates well above 200. In the previous game, he hit an unbeaten 47 of just 14 balls.

Bowlers: Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma, Nandre Burger.

Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger have been two of the best new-ball bowlers in the IPL this season. The Englishman is in with a chance to win the Purple Cap, with 15 wickets to his name. Burger, meanwhile, has nine scalps whilst being slightly on the expensive side. Ravi Bishnoi is leading RR’s spin attack with 11 wickets at a strike-rate of 14.18.

Rajasthan Royals (RR): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag (C), Shubham Dubey, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma, Nandre Burger.

Impact Player: Tushar Deshpande

Gujarat Titans:

Top Order: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Jos Buttler (WK)

As is the case with RR, GT’s top three are also their three highest run-getters in IPL 2026. Sai Sudharsan currently leads the way with 385 runs at a strike-rate of 158.43. Captain Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler are not far behind, with the pair scoring 378 and 335 runs respectively at similar strike-rates of around 153.

Middle Order: Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Jason Holder, Arshad Khan

GT’s middle order has always been their weak link across several IPL seasons. However, Washington Sundar is enjoying a great season with the bat, with number four becoming his permanent position in the lineup. With Jason Holder also becoming a constant in the side, the Titans have had their batting extended further with Rashid Khan coming in at number nine.

Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Manav Suthar

Kagiso Rabada has completely transformed in the IPL and has left his poor South Africa form behind. The right-arm pacer has 16 wickets to his name, just one behind the tournament’s leading wicket-takers. However, he is not the sole contributor towards wickets for the Titans. Last year’s Purple Cap winner, Prasidh Krishna, has 12 scalps to his name, while both Rashid Khan and Mohammed Siraj have 11 dismissals each.

Gujarat Titans (GT): Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Jos Buttler (WK), Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Jason Holder, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Manav Suthar.

Impact Player: Mohammed Siraj

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FAQs 

When and where will the RR vs GT match be played?

The match will take place on May 9, 2026, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, starting at 7:30 PM.

Which players could make a difference in this clash?

For RR, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Jofra Archer will be key, while GT will rely on Jos Buttler and Rashid Khan to come good.

Which team has the edge going into this game?

Based on the current form, it is hard to separate the two sides, but the Rajasthan Royals should hold against the Gujarat Titans based on wanting to set their home record straight.

where can I watch live sports for free online in the USA and UK?

The Sports Live Hub (SLH) provides global streaming links. In the UK, fans can watch via Sky Sports, and in the USA, matches are available on Willow TV and the SLH digital portal.