IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals’ strongest predicted XI against Gujarat Titans

Rajasthan Royals (RR) take on Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match 52 of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday, May 9. The hosts have won their last two matches on home soil and will need a win to distance themselves from the chasing pack.

RR have lost three out of their last five games, with their most recent defeat coming against the Delhi Capitals, where the visitors chased down 226 with five balls to spare. Riyan Parag’s side is still in the top four with 12 points, but are only ahead of GT thanks to a better net run-rate. 

The Royals have one of the best batting lineups in the whole tournament, along with possessing a devastating new-ball attack. They are still one of the favourites to book a place in the playoffs should they find their excellent form from the start of the season.  

Here is RR’s strongest predicted XI vs GT, Match 52, IPL 2026:

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

RR’s top three in the batting lineup also happen to be their three highest run-scorers in this season’s IPL. The opening duo of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal both had an off day against DC, but remain their most important players. Sooryavanshi has scored 404 runs at a strike-rate of 237.64, while Jaiswal and Jurel have 312 and 290 runs respectively.

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

The Royals’ middle order was their biggest cause for concern earlier this season, but over the past few matches, they have stepped up. Captain Riyan Parag returned to form after scoring 90 off 50 balls in their previous game, while Donovan Ferreira has struck at 335.71 and 200 in his last two matches. The South African has scored 229 runs this season at an average of 45.80.

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

Jofra Archer spearheads RR’s bowling unit this season, having taken 15 wickets from 10 matches at an economy rate of 8.62. He is closely followed by spinner Ravi Bishnoi who has 11 scalps to his name, while Archer’s new-ball partner Nandre Burger has nine. Ravindra Jadeja also remains a crucial member of the bowling lineup, thanks to his ability to curtail the run-scoring. The spinner has taken just seven wickets but is conceding at an economy rate of just 7.72.

RR’s predicted playing XI vs GT in Match 52, IPL 2026:

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