IPL 2026 is entering its concluding stage with just two matches – Qualifier 2 and the finals remaining. Qualifier 2 is all set to be played between the Gujarat Titans and the Rajasthan Royals. The team that emerges as the winner will seal their playoff berth and face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
GT, who suffered an embarrassing 92-run defeat against RCB, however, ending the league stage at the second spot gave them a lifeline, as they have another opportunity to reach the final. Meanwhile, RR was the last team to qualify for the final. They will head into Qualifier 2 with high confidence as they defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator clash.
Why Rajasthan Royals (RR) are favourites to reach the IPL 2026 final?
1. GT’s average performance in away grounds
Gujarat Titans showcased an impressive performance throughout the season as they ended their league stage at the second spot with 18 points from 9 wins. However, Gill’s side had a great run at their home ground in Ahmedabad, while their performance has been average in the away ground. GT has won four away matches and lost as many. While talking about their performance in Mullanpur, GT has won a single match and lost as many.
2. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
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The 15-year-old young gun is one of the main reasons why the Rajasthan Royals can easily qualify for the final if he manages to carry his explosive form in the Qualifier 2 clash. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been in red-hot form this season, and his batting can make a huge difference in the match. The young prodigy holds the top spot in the Orange Cap list with 680 runs across 15 matches. In the eliminator clash against SRH, Sooryavanshi missed his IPL ton by just 3 runs; he could have become the batter to smash the fastest 100 in IPL history.
Although, GT’s opening pair Sai Sudharsan and Shuman Gill can also change the game as they are currently holds the second and fourth spot in the IPL Orange cap list but Sooryavanshi, who has an explosive strike rate of 248.85 aims to fire from the starting, while he also has the ability to dominate world-class bowlers
3. RR’s middle order
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GT’s middle order has been a major concern as they are totally dependent on top three batters, if they fail to fire, the batting will collapse early. While, RR’s middle order had looked strong with Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Donovan Ferreira. Jurel has amassed a total of 508 runs, which includes 6 half-centuries. He has performed every single time the team was in a tricky situation. Riyan Parag, Ravindra Jadeja, and Donovan Ferreira are the other key batters who have given RR an impressive finish with latefire knocks.
Also Read: GT vs RR Qualifier 2: Top 5 Players Who Can Change The Match
