RR must win to avoid crashing out; GT aim to tighten their top-two finish.

Two Teams, Two Very Different Journeys

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) are hanging by a thread in IPL 2025. Having lost five games in a row, they now need to win all of their remaining matches to stand a chance at the playoffs. If they lose again, it could be the end of the road.

They can look at Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 2024 miracle for hope — RCB pulled off six wins in a row to sneak into the playoffs. RR will need a similar turnaround. But with confidence low and problems piling up, it won’t be easy.

The Royals’ next hurdle? Gujarat Titans (GT) — a team that looks strong and settled on all fronts.

Titans' Rise: Bowlers on Fire, Batters in Sync

GT have quietly built one of the most complete bowling attacks this season. Even with Rashid Khan not at his best, they’ve dominated:

• Prasidh Krishna is back better than ever after injury, grabbing 16 wickets at an incredible economy of 7.29.
   
• R Sai Kishore has supported brilliantly with 12 wickets and solid control.
   
• Mohammed Siraj brings early firepower in the powerplay with his swing and pace.
   

In batting, GT have found a steady and reliable rhythm.
Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan aren’t flashy but are highly effective, putting together the highest partnership runs of the season — 448 runs.

Even former Royals player Jos Buttler has chipped in nicely, making GT’s top three a real force. Their consistency has eased pressure on the middle order, where finishers like Rahul Tewatia have stepped up when needed.

Royals’ Struggles: Fast Starts, Poor Finishes

Rajasthan have been fast and aggressive in the powerplay (scoring over 10 runs per over), but they haven’t made it count. Injuries and loss of form have hit them hard:

• Sanju Samson remains sidelined, and there’s no timeline for his return.
   
• Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, and Shimron Hetmyer have all struggled for consistency.
   
• The pressure of winning is falling heavily on Yashasvi Jaiswal with the bat and Jofra Archer with the ball.
   

Despite Jaiswal’s blistering starts and Archer’s fighting spells, RR have failed to close out simple chases in three recent games.

Form Watch

• Rajasthan Royals: L L L L L
   
• Gujarat Titans: W W L W W
   

Team News: Changes on the Cards for RR?

Rajasthan Royals Possible XI:
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (capt), Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sandeep Sharma, Jofra Archer, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Akash Madhwal.

Tushar Deshpande’s poor form could see Akash Madhwal replacing him.

Gujarat Titans Possible XI:
B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Jos Buttler, Sherfane Rutherford, M Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Washington Sundar, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma.

GT are expected to stick with their winning combination.

Players to Watch

• Dhruv Jurel (RR): Struggling against spin with a low strike rate. Might be better used against pace attacks to unlock his hitting ability.
   
• Prasidh Krishna (GT): On a dream comeback, boasting the best economy rate in the middle overs among all bowlers this season.
   

Key Stats You Should Know

• Yashasvi Jaiswal is just 37 runs away from 2000 IPL runs. If he makes it, he will be the third-fastest Indian to reach this milestone.
   
• Jofra Archer has dismissed Shubman Gill three times in five IPL innings.
   
• Shimron Hetmyer's finishing ability has dipped, with his death-over strike rate dropping compared to previous seasons.
   
• GT’s top order (Gill, Sudharsan, Buttler) are the best this season, averaging nearly 54 runs together.
   
• GT’s middle-overs strike rate has jumped from 142 to 165 compared to last year — a massive improvement.
   

Pitch and Conditions

The match will be played in Jaipur, where chasing teams have won four of the last seven games.
Expect a high-scoring match — the average first-innings score here is 184.