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IPL 2026: RR Win Toss, Elect to Bowl First Against GT; Parag Out Injured

Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to bowl first against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026. Regular captain Riyan Parag is sidelined due to a hamstring injury, with Yashasvi Jaiswal taking over as skipper. RR have lost momentum with only two wins in their last five matches, while GT arrive on a three-match winning streak. Both teams are fighting for crucial playoff positions in a closely contested match.

Key Points: RR vs GT IPL 2026: RR Win Toss, Bowl First; Parag Injured

  • RR win toss, choose to bowl first
  • Riyan Parag out with hamstring injury
  • Yashasvi Jaiswal captains RR
  • Shimron Hetmyer, Yash Raj Punja included
  • GT on three-match winning streak
2 min read

IPL 2026: RR win toss, choose to bowl first against GT; Riyan Parag misses out

Rajasthan Royals win toss, opt to bowl first vs Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026. Riyan Parag misses out with hamstring injury, Yashasvi Jaiswal leads RR.

"We are going to bowl first. I think the wicket is pretty good and we want to chase it. - Yashasvi Jaiswal"

Jaipur, May 9

Rajasthan Royals have won the toss and opted to bowl first in their Indian Premier League 2026 clash against Gujarat Titans on Saturday. RR are missing the services of designated captain Riyan Parag, who is sitting the fixture out after having pulled his hamstring in the team's last game. Yashasvi Jaiswal is standing in as the skipper for RR.

Jaiswal, after winning the toss, said that Rajasthan Royals chose to bowl first as they expect the pitch to be good for chasing. He also mentioned that regular captain Riyan Parag is recovering from a hamstring injury but is expected to return soon. Jaiswal confirmed that Shimron Hetmyer and Yash Raj Punja have been included in the playing 11, and expressed excitement ahead of the match.

"We are going to bowl first. I think the wicket is pretty good and we want to chase it. Riyan pulled his hamstring last game, so I feel he'll be coming back soon. Shimron Hetmyer comes in and Yash Raj Punja comes in. That's the two guys who have been coming in. I'm really excited, looking forward to the game," Jaiswal said at the toss presentations.

RR made a strong start to their IPL 2026 campaign but have recently lost momentum, winning only two of their last five matches. They currently sit fourth on the points table and remain in the playoff race, though they will need improved consistency to avoid slipping further. Meanwhile, GT arrive on a strong run of three consecutive wins. They are fifth on the IPL 2026 standings and will look to overtake RR with a win in this contest.

With both teams fighting for crucial points, the match is expected to be a closely contested encounter, as a win for either side is set to significantly impact their position in the standings.

RR vs GT playing 11s

Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal(c), Dhruv Jurel(w), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubham Dubey, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja

RR Impact Sub options: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Adam Milne, Ravi Singh, Sushant Mishra, Ravi Bishnoi

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj

GT Impact Sub options: Prasidh Krishna, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Kumar Kushagra.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Nisha Z
GT on 3-match winning streak and looking dangerous! Rabada and Siraj with new ball will be tough for RR openers. But I'm worried about GT's middle order - too dependent on Buttler and Gill. Jaiswal's decision to bowl first could backfire if GT post 180+.
S
Sarah B
As a neutral fan, this is a must-watch game! Two teams fighting for playoff spots. RR have stumbled lately but their home record is decent. GT are the form team though. Hoping for a thriller! 🏏
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Arjun K
Cricket is my religion and IPL is the temple! 😄 But seriously, RR should've stuck with Parag as captain even if he's not playing. Giving captaincy to Jaiswal mid-season is risky. And why is Ravi Bishnoi not in playing XI? He's their best spinner on this pitch!
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James A
Good to see Yash Raj Punja getting a game! Youngsters deserve chances. But RR's batting looks thin without Parag - relying too much on Jaiswal and Hetmyer. GT have more all-round depth with Holder and Sundar. Going with GT to win this one.
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Kavya N
Just hope the match doesn't get ruined by dew factor! If it's a night game in Jaipur, chasing becomes easier. Smart move by Jaiswal to bowl first. But RR's bowling has been inconsistent - Archer needs to step up. Let's see if he can fire today! 🎯

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