Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Donovan Ferreira said his side has shifted into 'autopilot mode' as they gear up to face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026 at New Chandigarh on 29 May. The Royals arrive on the back of a commanding 47-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator, powered by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's stunning 97.

Ferreira on the Mindset Heading In

Speaking to broadcasters ahead of the match, Ferreira acknowledged the weight of consecutive must-win fixtures but stressed the importance of treating each game on its own terms. 'Like you said, we've had three must-win games, but every game is different. You can't carry one over to the next; today is a big game for us. I can't really speak for them (other players), but the rest of us have been playing a lot of cricket over the last few days. It's about being in autopilot now and just getting what needs to be done,' he said.

The South African all-rounder emphasised his willingness to slot into any role the team demands. 'I'll do whatever the coach and the team need; that's been our motto. Management has all the insights and data to make those calls, so we just have to be ready whenever we're called upon,' Ferreira added.

His Personal Batting Blueprint

Ferreira outlined his preferred approach at the crease, noting flexibility as a key strength. 'Personally, I'm comfortable going in after the 15th over. If I have to go in before that, I just adapt. It gives me a bit of time to get used to the wicket so I can explode at the back end,' he said. This adaptability has made him a valuable finisher in RR's middle-to-lower order across the tournament.

Pitch and Conditions Assessment

On the surface at the venue, Ferreira painted a picture of a batters' paradise. 'I'm not sure what the captain and coach have decided, but this is a really good batting wicket. Looking at the previous game, the opposition didn't even bat that well. We bowled quite well, and they still reached (almost) 200. That shows how good the wicket is,' he noted. He also flagged the dew factor as a potential toss-decider, saying, 'If there is dew, batting second is beneficial.'

What's at Stake

The winner of Qualifier 2 advances to the IPL 2026 Final to face the team that emerged from Qualifier 1. For Rajasthan Royals, this represents their third straight knockout encounter — a gruelling stretch that Ferreira's 'autopilot' framing captures well. Gujarat Titans, meanwhile, enter having lost their Qualifier 1 fixture, making this a straight shootout for the last final berth.