The Indian Premier League caravan arrives at Narendra Modi Stadium for Match 9, where Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to bat first against Gujarat Titans under lights.

RR skipper Riyan Parag chose to set a target on what looks like a fresh surface expected to aid strokeplay early before assisting bowlers later in the night. With momentum on their side, the Royals will aim to maximise the powerplay and build scoreboard pressure.

For GT, the big talking point is the absence of regular captain Shubman Gill, who is sidelined due to a muscle spasm. In his absence, vice-captain Rashid Khan steps in to lead the side. The team management remains optimistic about Gill’s return, with hopes that he will be back “very soon.”

His absence has prompted a reshuffle, with young wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra coming into the playing XI as a replacement. GT will now rely on a collective batting effort to fill the void left by their skipper at the top.

On the bowling front, early breakthroughs will be key for GT, with Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada leading the charge, while Prasidh Krishna continues as a crucial enforcer through the middle overs.

RR’s batting firepower, featuring the explosive Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal, will look to continue their dominant run.

GT vs RR IPL 2026: Playing XIs

Gujarat Titans:
Rashid Khan (c), Kumar Kushagra (wk), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Siraj, Ashok Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna

Rajasthan Royals:
Riyan Parag (c), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma