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IPL 2026: Jaiswal leads RR as Parag sits out with hamstring injury

Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag has been ruled out of the match against Gujarat Titans due to a hamstring injury. Yashasvi Jaiswal is leading the team in his absence and won the toss, electing to bowl first. Shimron Hetmyer returns to the playing XI as a replacement for Parag. Gujarat Titans have made one change, bringing in Prasidh Krishna for Manav Suthar.

Key Points: IPL 2026: Jaiswal captains RR after Parag injury

  • Yashasvi Jaiswal leads RR in absence of injured Riyan Parag
  • Shimron Hetmyer replaces Parag in playing XI
  • RR opt to bowl first against GT at Sawai Mansingh Stadium
  • GT bring in Prasidh Krishna for Manav Suthar
  • Both teams tied at 12 points in mid-table battle
3 min read

IPL 2026: Skipper Parag out, Hetmyer in as Jaiswal-led RR opt to bowl against GT

Rajasthan Royals win toss, opt to bowl vs Gujarat Titans. Yashasvi Jaiswal leads as Riyan Parag is sidelined with hamstring injury. Shimron Hetmyer returns.

"Riyan pulled his hamstring last game, so I feel he'll be coming back soon. - Yashasvi Jaiswal"

Jaipur, May 9

Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to bowl against Gujarat Titans in their Indian Premier League 2026 encounter here at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday.

Yashasvi Jaiswal is leading the home team in the absence of regular skipper Riyan Parag, who has been sidelined after pulling his hamstring during the team's previous outing.

Rajasthan Royals head into the clash looking to bounce back after a seven-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals. After winning four of their opening five matches, RR's campaign has slowed, with three defeats in their last five outings. Led by Riyan Parag, the Royals currently sit fourth on the points table with 12 points from 10 games.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans arrive in strong form after registering three successive wins over Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings, respectively. The Titans are fifth with 12 points and can break into the top four with a victory.

Historically, Gujarat Titans have enjoyed the upper hand in this rivalry, winning six of the nine meetings between the two sides. However, Rajasthan Royals claimed victory in their most recent encounter on April 4.

Winning the toss, RR's stand-in skipper Jaiswal said, "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."

Meanwhile, GT captain Shubman Gill said, "We would have bowled first as well honestly. We have got one change. Prasid comes back in place of Manav Suthar. I think it's important to look back at your strengths as a batting group or as a bowling group. What are the things that has got us so much success as a team. So, there were some areas that, you know, we went back and we reflected. Most of the games that we have played there have been pretty close. So, it's all about doing that extra effort, putting that, you know, if something is going well for you, having the belief to be able to have that execution. Yeah, I mean, we're going to see how the first couple of overs, 2-3 overs go. There's obviously a par score and then you want to get 10-15 extra on top of the pass score to give that extra cushion to the bowlers."

Playing XIs:

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

Impact Substitutes: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Adam Milne, Ravi Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra

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

Impact Substitutes: Prasidh Krishna, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, R Sai Kishore, Kumar Kushagra

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Sneha F
GT have been on a roll with three consecutive wins against top teams like CSK and RCB. Their bowling attack with Rabada and Rashid is lethal. But RR's batting lineup is also strong - Jaiswal, Jurel, and even the unknown quantity of Yash Raj Punja could surprise us. This match could go either way! 🏏
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Rohit L
Honestly, I think RR's decision to bowl first is smart given the dew factor in Jaipur during this time of year. Their batting is deep - even with Hetmyer in for Parag. But I'm concerned about their bowling without Ravi Bishnoi in the XI. Jofra Archer hasn't been at his best this season. And GT's top order with Gill and Buttler is scary good. Still, I'm backing the Royals tonight! 🎉
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Priya S
Can we take a moment to appreciate how well GT have turned things around? From being mid-table to now challenging for top four - that's the mark of a champion team. Their balance with Holder and Washington Sundar as all-rounders gives them depth. RR need to step up their game if they want to stay in the race for playoffs. Also, great to see young talents like Yash Raj Punja getting opportunities - Indian cricket's future looks bright! 🇮🇳
V
Vikram M
I have mixed feelings about this match. On one hand, GT's momentum is strong with three wins on the trot. But RR are playing at home in Jaipur and that crowd support matters. The head-to-head record heavily favors GT (6-3), but that April 4 win will give RR confidence. My only criticism: why isn't Ravi Bishnoi playing? He's been RR's best spinner this season! That might be a tactical error from Jaiswal. Let's see how it unfolds.

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