Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 Qualifier: A Look At Exciting Match-Ups

Plenty of exciting matchups will play out when Rajasthan Royals (RR) take on Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier Two of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at Mullanpur on Friday. The second spot in the IPL final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be at stake as Riyan Parag-led Rajasthan, buoyed by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's heroics, and Shubman Gill-led Gujarat, crushed by a 92-run loss to RCB in Qualifier One, lock horns at Mullanpur.

Here are some exciting match-ups ahead of the match:

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs GT's Powerplay pair of Rabada and Siraj

Sooryavanshi is the Orange Cap holder with 680 runs at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate of over 242, with a century and four fifties, and a record-breaking 65 sixes. The Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) saw him single-handedly dismantle a fiery Men in Orange unit with a 29-ball innings, including five fours and 12 sixes in the tournament.

After doing well in his first-ever IPL knockout match, Sooryavanshi faces a very favourable match-up against the Titans. In three matches against GT, he has scored 168 runs at an average of 56 and a strike rate of 233.33, including a century.

This season, he has scored quickfire knocks of 31 and 36 against them.

He has a fine match-up against both Rabada and Siraj. The left-hander has smashed 25 runs in 14 balls against Rabada and has smacked Siraj for 38 runs in 20 balls, as per ESPNCricinfo.

Could Rabada exploit a struggling Jaiswal?

Rabada, the joint-highest wicket-taker of the season with 26 scalps, has a fine match-up against Yashasvi Jaiswal; he has dismissed him thrice in 27 balls, with the left-hander having made just 27 runs against him at a strike rate of 100, as per ESPNCricinfo.

Jaiswal, who has made 426 runs in 15 innings with three fifties, has had a sub-par second half so far, with scores of 51, 6, 3, 12, 43, 27 and 29.

Jofra Archer's match-ups with GT's top three:

Archer has dismissed Gill three times in 30 balls and has conceded just 36 runs at an average of 12.00, but he is yet to dismiss Sudharsan, who has made 44 runs in 33 balls at a modest strike rate of 133.33 against him, as per ESPNCricinfo.

On the other hand, Buttler has been exceptional against Archer, having scored 109 runs in 56 balls against his English teammate at a strike rate of 194.64, being dismissed just twice.

Buttler has scored 263 runs in four innings in the IPL playoffs at an average of 87.66 and a strike rate of 162.34, with a century and a fifty each, with a best score of 106*.

Sudharsan has scored 233 runs in four IPL playoff innings at an average of 58.25, including a strike rate of 171.25, with two fifties and a best score of 96.

In 12 IPL playoff matches, Shubman has made 477 runs at an average of 43.36 and a strike rate of over 142, with a century and a fifty, with a best score of 129.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Cricket Gujarat Titans Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026