Rajasthan Royals arrive in Qualifier 2 carrying momentum, noise and a teenage sensation who has suddenly become the biggest attraction of the IPL playoffs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s breathtaking assault against Sunrisers Hyderabad has shifted attention sharply towards the Royals ahead of their clash with Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur.
Notably, the turnaround between matches has been short, but Rajasthan appear energised rather than drained. Their Eliminator victory was built around fearless batting at the top, where Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel forced Hyderabad completely out of rhythm. The Royals now head into another knockout game knowing that a repeat of that start could leave Gujarat under severe pressure.
For Gujarat, the challenge is not only tactical but psychological. Their defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru exposed vulnerabilities rarely seen this season. Gujarat’s bowling attack lost control badly in the second half of the innings as RCB accelerated beyond reach. Recovering from such a setback becomes even harder in a playoff schedule with barely any breathing room.
Their batting collapse in Dharamsala added to the concerns. Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, the trio around whom Gujarat’s batting has revolved all season, were all dismissed inside the Powerplay. They never recovered after slipping to 51/5 in six overs, a scenario that has hardly occurred during their otherwise consistent campaign.
Questions have surfaced again around Gujarat’s dependence on a familiar winning formula. Strong starts from the top order, early breakthroughs through Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, followed by control from Rashid Khan and Jason Holder, have often defined their victories.