Rajasthan Royals (RR) have chosen to field first in their crucial IPL 2025 encounter against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Jaipur. RR skipper Riyan Parag observed similarities with conditions from their recent match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), where they fell just two runs short in a chase of 181. Notably, dew had been reported on the pitch on the eve of this fixture.
GT are introducing Afghanistan allrounder Karim Janat, marking his IPL debut. Missing from GT’s line-up is Sherfane Rutherford, who isn’t listed among the substitutes either. In a tactical change, RR have reintroduced mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana, given the low bounce typically found in Jaipur’s pitch, while swing bowler Fazalhar Farooqi makes way. Tushar Deshpande, who struggled in his last outing, has been replaced by Yudhvir Singh.
Rajasthan Royals are battling to remain in the tournament, requiring victories in their remaining five matches to stand a chance of qualifying for the playoffs. Meanwhile, GT sit two points adrift of table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru, holding two games in hand. GT previously secured victory over RR this season, a defeat that triggered a five-match losing streak for Rajasthan. Although RR had often been in commanding positions in recent games, they failed to capitalise in the closing stages.
Reflecting on RR’s form, cricket expert Wasim Jaffer noted, “When you lose, you start doubting yourself.” Anil Kumble echoed similar sentiments, suggesting RR batters have inadvertently surrendered opportunities to opposition bowlers.
The team line-ups for this intense clash are as follows:
Gujarat Titans: B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt.), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, M Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna. Potential Impact Players include Ishant Sharma, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, and Arshad Khan.
Rajasthan Royals: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (capt.), Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sandeep Sharma, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Yudhvir Singh. Possible Impact Players include Shubham Dubey, Tushar Deshpande, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, and Kunal Singh Rathore.
Cricket fans can anticipate a competitive match as both teams vie for vital points in their respective campaigns.
