IPL 2026 Qualifier 2: RR elect to bat vs GT at New Chandigarh
Synopsis
Rajasthan Royals go in unchanged while Gujarat Titans bring back spinner R Sai Kishore for the IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 in New Chandigarh — a straight knockout where the loser's season ends and the winner earns a final berth against RCB in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to bat first against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 on 29 May in New Chandigarh .
The toss required a re-spin after match referee Prakash Bhatt ruled RR captain Riyan Parag's call inaudible.
R Sai Kishore returns to GT's playing XI, replacing Kulwant Khejroliya — the only change between the two sides.
RR are unchanged after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs in the Eliminator; GT lost to RCB by 92 runs in Qualifier 1.
The winner faces Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Sunday .
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag won the toss and chose to bat first against the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Friday, 29 May. The toss had to be re-spun after match referee Prakash Bhatt intervened, as Parag's call was not audible enough in the first attempt.
What Is at Stake
The winner of this Qualifier 2 clash earns the right to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2026 Final, scheduled for Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. For both sides, it is a straight knockout — one more defeat ends their season.
How Both Teams Arrived Here
Rajasthan Royals advanced to Qualifier 2 after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs in the Eliminator. Gujarat Titans, meanwhile, suffered a heavy 92-run defeat to RCB in Qualifier 1 in Dharamshala, dropping them into this second-chance fixture. Notably, GT now face the prospect of elimination from the same ground that hosted their Qualifier 1 loss just days ago.
Captains Speak at the Toss
Parag explained his decision to bat first, saying, 'Pretty much the same wicket, but I think it slows down at the backend, and we have the bowlers for it. We just need to play better cricket for 40 overs, and the best team will win. The support staff have been incredible about recoveries and injuries.'
GT skipper Shubman Gill confirmed his side would also have batted first, adding, 'Forty overs of cricket already on this wicket, and it won't behave differently. We have everything to play for; it's a now or never situation.' Gill also confirmed that left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore returns to the playing XI in place of Kulwant Khejroliya — the sole change to the GT lineup.
Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans: B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Jos Buttler (wk), Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj. Impact substitutes: Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra, Arshad Khan.
Rajasthan Royals (unchanged): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (captain), Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja. Impact substitutes: Shubham Dubey, Sushant Mishra, Aman Rao Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande.
With RCB waiting in the final, both captains know the margin for error is zero — the next 40 overs will decide who joins them in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Point of View
Which makes RR's powerplay approach the match's first critical contest. GT's 92-run hammering by RCB in Qualifier 1 raises a structural question: can a side that was outclassed so comprehensively reset mentally within days? RR, by contrast, carry momentum and an unchanged XI — in knockout cricket, that continuity is an underrated edge.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the toss in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 between RR and GT?
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag won the toss and elected to bat first against Gujarat Titans at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on 29 May. The toss had to be re-spun after match referee Prakash Bhatt ruled the initial call inaudible.
Why was the toss re-spun in the RR vs GT Qualifier 2?
Match referee Prakash Bhatt ordered a re-spin because RR captain Riyan Parag's call was not loud enough to be clearly heard during the first toss attempt. The re-spin is a standard procedure under IPL playing conditions when the call cannot be verified.
What change did Gujarat Titans make for Qualifier 2?
Gujarat Titans brought back left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore in place of Kulwant Khejroliya — the only change to their XI. GT captain Shubman Gill indicated the decision was based on the nature of the New Chandigarh pitch, which had already hosted 40 overs of cricket.
Who will play in the IPL 2026 Final and where?
The winner of the RR vs GT Qualifier 2 will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. RCB secured their berth by beating GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 in Dharamshala.
How did RR and GT reach IPL 2026 Qualifier 2?
Rajasthan Royals qualified by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs in the Eliminator, while Gujarat Titans dropped into Qualifier 2 after losing to RCB by 92 runs in Qualifier 1. Both routes mean this match is a straight knockout for both sides.
