The Rajasthan Royals face the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2, with key injury updates on players including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag, and Ravindra Jadeja.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 playoff action shifts to Mullanpur on Friday, May 29, for the highly anticipated Qualifier 2 match, where the Rajasthan Royals will take on the Gujarat Titans. The winner of this knockout clash will secure a spot in the final against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while the loser will finish third in the tournament.
The Rajasthan Royals enter the match with momentum and confidence, having recently triumphed over the SunRisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator. This victory was largely fueled by the explosive performance of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has emerged as a key player for the team. On the other hand, the Gujarat Titans are looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat to RCB and keep their championship hopes alive. However, injury concerns surrounding Riyan Parag and Ravindra Jadeja, along with questions regarding Sooryavanshi’s fitness, have become focal points ahead of the match.
As for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, he is set to play today. After experiencing a brief hamstring scare earlier in the month, any doubts about his fitness were dispelled during the last game, where he showcased his skills with a remarkable 97 runs off just 29 balls. Following that impressive performance, the tournament’s Orange Cap leader has received a clean bill of health and is prepared to open the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Ravindra Jadeja, a crucial player in both the spin and all-round departments, has also been cleared to play. The veteran all-rounder has successfully passed regular fitness assessments leading up to tonight’s knockout match. Despite participating actively in training, Jadeja has been under scrutiny due to an injury he has been managing throughout the latter stages of the tournament. Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara noted that Jadeja has been quietly nursing this injury, adding an element of uncertainty to his condition.
Riyan Parag, the captain of the Rajasthan Royals, has been grappling with a persistent hamstring injury throughout the second half of the IPL 2026 season. He has openly acknowledged that he is “definitely not fit” and was not expected to play in recent high-stakes matches, including the crucial league game against the Mumbai Indians and the Eliminator against SRH. Despite this, the 24-year-old has chosen to push through the pain barrier, understanding the stakes involved in the tournament. Parag will feature in the playing XI today, leading his team as they aim for the trophy.
In terms of injury concerns within the Gujarat Titans camp, there are currently no fresh issues reported. The team is managing the workload of its core group but appears to be in good shape heading into this critical match.
As for the predicted playing XIs, the Rajasthan Royals are expected to field the following lineup: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Yash Raj Punja, and either Brijesh Sharma or Sushant Mishra/Tushar Deshpande/Ravi Bishnoi.
The Gujarat Titans are likely to include: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, either Arshad Khan or Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna.
The excitement is palpable as both teams prepare for this knockout encounter, with key players ready to make their mark. Fans will be eagerly watching to see how the injury situations unfold and impact the match.
For more details, refer to The Sunday Guardian.