Big picture - 4 vs 5 with a chance to go higher

How quickly the fortunes change in the IPL. Not long ago, the top four for the IPL 2026 playoffs seemed like a done deal. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals had separated themselves so much from the rest of the pack that catching up seemed tough. But caught up they have, and are climbing up the table quick enough to make the current top four very nervous.

One of the prime contenders are fifth-placed Gujarat Titans, who are peaking at the right time. The top order has been consistent, Washington Sundar and Rashid Khan have found form and the fast bowling battery has been relentless. They will be facing fourth-placed RR, whose four in four at the start of the season seems like a distant memory.

Both GT and RR are coming into this game with an identical record: six wins and four losses after ten games. But the trajectories have been different. GT are on an upswing, having scored three straight wins; RR have lost three of their last five games. While the match is crucial for both teams, it holds much more significance for RR. They last played a game on May 1, where they failed to defend 225 against Delhi Capitals. After the GT clash on May 9, RR next play only on May 16. The points table would have changed a lot by then, and if they drop points against GT, they could potentially end up facing the pressure of must-win games at the back-end of the tournament.

At the heart of GT's growth and RR's patchy form has been their respective bowling. The GT quicks, Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj are breathing fire. The two have bowled unchanged through the powerplay in the last few games and that's provided the cushion for Rashid to do his thing in the middle-overs. Jason Holder's addition, too, has worked wonders for GT. If Rabada and Siraj can break the Jai-Soorya partnership early and get into the wobbly middle order, things could unravel for RR quickly.

On the other hand, RR have been overly reliant on Jofra Archer. While he's been consistent in the powerplay - he's the joint second-highest wicket-taker in this phase - he's lacked support from the rest. Nandre Burger has blown hot and cold, so have Brijesh Sharma and Tushar Deshpande. While Ravindra Jadeja has kept the runs in check, he only has seven wickets in ten games. RR have conceded 220-plus runs in three consecutive innings now and worryingly, two of those have come in Jaipur.

RR did, however, defeat GT when these two teams met earlier in the season. GT, needing 15 off 12 with three wickets in hand, failed to cross the line with Archer and Deshpande acing the last two overs.

A win for GT will catapult them from five to two on the points table; a win for RR will take them to two and a big win can also give them top spot.

Form guide

Rajasthan Royals LWLWL (last five matches, most recent first)
Gujarat Titans WWWLL

Key question

Team news - GT unlikely to change

RR have a Burger problem and they could make a change on that front, bringing in one of Kwena Maphaka or Adam Milne. They could also replace him with Dasun Shanaka, who provides both batting and bowling options. There is also a chance that RR could bring back Shimron Hetmyer to bolster the batting depth.

Rajasthan Royals (probable XII): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 3 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 4 Riyan Parag (capt), 5 Donovan Ferreira, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Shubham Dubey, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Nandre Burger/Dasun Shanaka, 11 Brijesh Sharma, 12 Tushar Deshpande

GT handed Nishant Sindhu a debut in the last game and are unlikely to tinker with a winning combination. Manav Suthar did go for 27 in the only over he bowled against PBKS, but was effective in the earlier games. He also adds batting depth, which means R Sai Kishore might have to wait his turn.

Gujarat Titans (probable XII): 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Nishant Sindhu, 5 Washington Sundar, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Manav Suthar, 10 Arshad Khan, 11 Kagiso Rabada, 12 Mohammed Siraj

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In the spotlight: Dhruv Jurel and Kagiso Rabada

RR have backed Dhruv Jurel since the start of his IPL career, and he's repaid the faith with consistent numbers. While he is among the runs again in IPL 2026, the consistency is lacking. Jurel has scored three fifties so far this season, but also has four single-digit scores in ten innings. Against Punjab Kings, in a 223-run chase, he got stuck and managed just 16 off 20, with Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey having to play blinders to get RR over the line. Even against Delhi Capitals, on a belter of a surface where 225 played 226, Jurel struck at only 140, during his 30-ball 42. Jurel has been given the No. 3 role this season but needs to get better with his consistency and strike rate in the remaining games.

Kagiso Rabada has cranked up his pace in IPL 2026 and the rewards are for everyone to see. He has consistently breached the 145kph barrier and is GT's leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets in ten games. Rabada's powerplay bowling has stood out; he's relentlessly bowled good length and back-of-the-length deliveries in that phase, and the wickets have come. No other bowler has picked up more wickets than him in the powerplay: 11, while maintaining an economy rate of 8.96. But there is a caveat. Almost 69% of Rabada's 16 wickets have come in the home conditions of Ahmedabad, where the pitches have suited fast bowling. That is one record that he will want to change when GT travel to Jaipur.

Stats and trivia

• Donovan Ferreira's strike-rate of 264.86 is the third-highest for any batter who has faced more than 30 balls in the death overs in IPL 2026. He has also struck 11 sixes during this phase, the second-highest after Tim David's 12

• Mohammed Siraj's powerplay economy rate of 6.92 is the second-best in the season after Akeal Hosein's 6.44 (minimum 30 balls bowled)

• Shubman Gill will have to be careful against Jofra Archer, who has been on song in the powerplay. Archer has dismissed Gill three times in six innings in the IPL

• Riyan Parag has fallen to Holder twice in two innings in the IPL and twice in six innings against Rashid Khan. His strike rate against Rashid is only 90

• Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck his maiden IPL century one year back against GT. He has since added another ton to his name this season

• GT have won six out of nine games against RR in the IPL

Pitch and conditions

Pitch No. 6 will be used for the RR-GT clash, the first time this surface will come into play this season. Jaipur has been a high-scoring venue this year. RR scored 228 against Sunrisers Hyderabad and 225 against DC and failed to defend the target both times. Another high-scoring game is expected in Jaipur. Dew should also come into play, and the teams winning the toss will likely bowl first. There is an excessive heat warning in place in Jaipur with temperatures touching close to 40 degrees during the day. While the temperatures will go down during the evening, heat will remain a factor.

Quotes

Siraj and Rabada are both highly performed players at the international level. You know what the pedigree both of them brings into it, especially with the new ball. They've been bowling really well, especially Rabada bowling 150[kph] consistently, and the way Siraj has been putting pressure, it's great to see. From our point of view, we would just like to extend the good run which they've done.
GT assistant coach Parthiv Patel is ecstatic with Siraj and Rabada's returns

"We're completely satisfied with, with Dhruv Jurel's performance. He's been excellent for us, and the more he plays and the more he bats, he will play accordingly to the situation. And we have no doubt that they can deliver whatever the team needs."
RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara isn't concerned with Jurel's strike rate