HIGHLIGHTS GT vs RR IPL 2025 Match 23 - Result, Scorecard

Welcome back to RR's response with the bat. The umpires and players are out to the middle. Shubman Gill leads his troops as the GT players take their fielding positions. 'Halla Bol' echoes throughout the Narendra Modi Stadium as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson walk out to open for RR. As expected, Mohammed Siraj has been handed over the new ball and will get things underway for GT. The big question is, will he get that movement off the new ball? Also, Gujarat Titans use their Impact Sub - Kulwant Khejroliya is swapped in for Sherfane Rutherford. Khejroliya is a left-arm medium fast, who plays for Madhya Pradesh. His 4 overs will be very crucial from GT's point of view. How much impact will he make? Only time will tell. But for now, Jaiswal is in readiness to face Siraj. Off we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Well then, 218 is the magic number for RR to win this game. In case you don't know, 207 is the highest successful run chase at this venue, and the pitch is suitable for the batters, so it can be termed as doable. However, just like GT openers were tested against Archer's searing pace, RR's openers too, will be interrogated thoroughly by the in-form Mohammed Siraj. In such big chases, it is all about starting on a high. An exciting run chase is up next shortly. Stay tuned.

Sai Sudharsan of the Gujarat Titans is up for a chat. He says there was some seam movement at the start, but then the wicket was very good to bat on. He says, Jofra bowled well at the start, but then they did consolidate by scoring some runs in middle and death overs. He says he and Buttler understood the wicket was good to bat on, and hence they both started to push a bit more to get a good total on the board. Feels they are 10-15 runs short the way they were batting, but there is no dew as of now, and he reckons it’s a good total on the board. He says that as a team, they wanted to keep a lot of wickets in hand and then go hard in the last 5 overs. He says he tries to react well and tries to do the simple things early. He says Jofra was quicker as the ball skids off the surface with his action. He says this total might be enough as the dew is not there and the slower ones are holding onto the surface.

With the death overs approaching and enough wickets in the bank, GT batters had the license to go bang-bang at the death. But a couple of quiet overs helped RR drag this back a bit with a couple of quick wickets as GT slipped from 156/2 to 163/4. Despite those fall of wickets, Sai Sudharsan looked in a league of his own and batted with absolute freedom. However, he couldn’t bat till the end, but his marathon knock of 82 helped GT to get past the 200-run mark. And with those late cameos from Rashid Khan and Tewatia, GT scored 72 runs in the last five overs.

Jofra Archer aside, Theekshana was the only bowler creating genuine opportunities. He finally broke through by removing Buttler just as the partnership was becoming dangerous for RR. Undeterred, Sai Sudharsan stepped up and took responsibility, while untested Shahrukh Khan too, started off positively. The positive thing for GT was, the incoming batters came out with intent, which kept the scoring rate hovering above and around 10 runs per over.

With a solid platform established, the feared collapse was avoided as they focused on building through the middle overs. Buttler accelerated after the field restrictions eased, lifting the scoring rate confidently. Both batters played with composure, relying on proper cricket shots rather than risky plays to maintain their momentum. Sai Sudharsan notched yet another half-century on the way.

Jofra Archer challenged GT's openers with sharp pace and bounce. He quickly claimed Shubman Gill's wicket early in the innings. In response, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, mounted a strong counter-attack. Sudharsan took the aggressive role while Buttler provided steady support. The pair worked well together after the early setback. As a result, GT managed to get 56 in the first six overs.

As mentioned by the experts before the start of the game, this pitch is a safe haven for the batters, and we just witnessed that. Another occasion when the 200-run mark has been breached this season. Pitch number 7 is what we are talking about, where the average score itself is 209, so GT have done quite well to get past that as well. Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, had their moments here and there, but barring Archer, all the rest of the bowlers were carted for runs.

Sandeep Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, FOUR! A boundary to finish the innings! 16 runs off the final over. Sandeep does not do much wrong here. Gets a full ball in, attacking the stumps but Rahul gets down on a knee and brings out the sweep. Hits it along the ground to the left of deep backward square leg for a boundary. The Titans finish with 217 on the board!

Sandeep Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, Low full toss, on off, Rahul will feel that he missed out. He is early into the shot and it dribbles off the toe end towards mid off. Arshad Khan sets off for a single but Tewatia sends him back.

Sandeep Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, Wide! Another slower bouncer attempted by Sandeep but this goes over the batter's head.

Sandeep Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, Good comeback! A slower bumper, over off, Tewatia steps out and swings for the pull but fails to connect.

Sandeep Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, SIX! Clubbed! Knuckleball from Sharma, on a length, outside off, Tewatia gets nice and low and nails the hit across the line over deep mid-wicket for a six.

Sandeep Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, Wide! Spots the batter charge down the track and tries to push it away from the batter but this is spilled beyond the guideline.

Sandeep Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, Changes his angle of attack as he comes from over the wicket. Bowls a slower one, on off, Rahul tries to steer this full ball behind square on the off side but misses.

Sandeep Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, FOUR! Up and over! Not a great option with mid off inside the circle, a scrambled seam delivery, full in length, Tewatia gets under the ball and lifts it over mid off for a boundary.

Arshad Khan is in at number 8 for GT. Also, the Rajasthan Royals have been penalised for not completing their 20 overs on time, meaning an extra fielder will have to be stationed inside the 30-yard circle. Here's Sandeep Sharma (3-0-25-1) to wrap up the first innings.

Tushar Deshpande to Rashid Khan, OUT! TAKEN! Yashasvi Jaiswal pulls off a stunner! Tushar keeps the line near the tramline on off, on a short of a length and does not offer much pace. Rashid walks across his stumps and goes for the no-look pick-up shot. Lifts his front leg as he plays the shot, but fails to get it wide enough of the man at square leg inside the circle. Jaiswal puts in a dive to his right and holds on. Rashid falls for 12 (4). GT are now 201/6 with an over to go.

Tushar Deshpande to Rashid Khan, Gets the yorker in, outside off, Rashid gets his bat down and glides it to the left of deep backward point for a couple of runs. GT breach the 200-run mark!

Tushar Deshpande to Rashid Khan, Wide! Goes for the wide yorker but this is sprayed beyond the guideline on off.

Tushar Deshpande to Rashid Khan, FOUR! Not convincing but Rashid will take it! Dug in short at pace by Tushar with fine leg inside the circle, Khan swings and attempts almost a tennis forehand shot. The ball takes the edge and flies over short fine leg for a one-bounce boundary.

Tushar Deshpande to Rashid Khan, SIX! High and handsome! Tushar takes pace off and goes full this time, around off, Rashid puts the dancing shoes on and clobbers it over long on for a six.

Tushar Deshpande to Rashid Khan, Wide! Banged in short but this goes beyond the tramline on off. Rashid lets it be.

Rashid Khan is in to bat now.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, OUT! CAUGHT AND BEHIND! A sharp grab from Sanju Samson! Tushar varies his length as he goes very full, around the fifth stump line, Sai shapes up to whip it away but gets an inside edge and it travels quickly behind the wicket. Samson is equal to the task as he dives to his right and snaffles it. A marathon knock from Sai Sudharsan comes to an end as he departs for 82 (53).

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, Angling across, off-pace delivery, on a back of a length, Sai is beaten on the pull.

Tushar Deshpande to bowl the penultimate over. He is 3-0-39-0 so far.

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, DROPPED! Shubham Dubey puts it down and Jofra Archer isn't pleased one bit! A well-directed slower bouncer and Archer gets it high enough to trouble the batter. Sai Sudharsan takes short ball on but does not manage to get the elevation. Hits it flat and straight down the throat of Dubey at deep backward square leg. Shubham tries to take a reverse-cup catch with a leap but jumps a bit too high and the ball hits him near the wrist and drops down. A single taken.

Jofra Archer to Rahul Tewatia, Bashes the hard length, on middle and leg, Tewatia whips it off the hips to deep backward square leg for one.

Jofra Archer to Rahul Tewatia, Pace on, a sharp and quick bumper, around off, Tewatia sways away.

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, In the air...but falls well short! Jofra takes pace off and goes into the wicket at the left shoulder of the batter, Sai swivels for the pull but gets a top edge that balloons and falls well ahead of Sandeep Sharma at deep fine leg. They cross.

Jofra Archer to Rahul Tewatia, Executes the yorker to perfection, at the base of the off stump, Rahul jams it out to backward point and crosses over.

Jofra Archer to Rahul Tewatia, Wide! Pushed down leg, on a length, Rahul has a swing at it but misses.

Jofra Archer to Rahul Tewatia, SIX! That's what pace can do! Nowhere close to where Tewatia intended it to go! Archer goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a low full toss, on off, Rahul looks to swat it away with the angle but gets a top edge that sails over deep third for a six.

Sandeep Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, Drags the length back, on middle, Rahul slaps it down to long on for one. GT lost Sherfane Rutherford in the over but managed to score 13 runs off it. 31 off the last two overs for GT.

Sandeep Sharma to Sai Sudharsan, Serves the knuckleball, very full, on off, Sai Sudharsan is early into the heave across the line. Gets an inside edge onto the pads and it rolls behind on the leg side for one.

Sandeep Sharma to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Up and over! Slightly fuller, on off, Sai waits back and opens up his front hip to go inside out. Launches it over extra cover for a one-bounce boundary.

Sandeep Sharma to Sai Sudharsan, SIX! Slammed away! Angling away from the left-hander, on a short of a good length, Sai angles the bat face and flays it aerially towards deep point. Dhruv Jurel leaps but in vain as the ball sails over him. Sai moves to 75 and this is his highest score of the season.

Sandeep Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, Off-pace delivery, on off, Rahul dabs it wide of backward point for a single.

Rahul Tewatia is in at number 6.

Sandeep Sharma to Sherfane Rutherford, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Sherfane Rutherford can do some serious damage at this stage in the game and this is a massive wicket for the Royals. Pushed across the left-hander, on a good length, Sherfane reaches out to work it away on the off side with a horizontal bat. The outside edge is found and the keeper, Sanju Samson takes it with ease to his left. Titans have lost 2 wickets in 4 balls and they are now 163/4.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sherfane Rutherford, Flatter and shorter, on the pads, Sherfane Rutherford swings to go across the line. Gets an inside edge onto the pads and it lobs past Samson to his right for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sherfane Rutherford, SIX! Sherfane Rutherford is up and running with a biggie! Right in the arc, a length ball, on off, Sherfane waits back and thumps it high over wide long on for a six.

Maheesh Theekshana to Shahrukh Khan, OUT! STUMPED! Maheesh Theekshana gets his man! Shahrukh shows his cards early as he gives the bowler the charge and Theekshana spots it. Fires it full and wide on off, near the tramline, Khan reaches out to flay it away on the off side but misses. Sanju gathers it cleanly and does the rest with Khan well short. Sherfane Rutherford is the new batter.

Will Theekshana finish the over well?

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, Two wides! Pushed very full but down leg, Sanju Samson does very well to fling himself to his right and get a hand to it. Parries it away for an extra.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, Keeps it nice and full, Sai drills it back past the bowler to the left of long off. Riyan Parag is quick near the fence and tumbles to prevent the boundary. He is quick to release the throw towards the converging Yashasvi Jaiswal at long off. Two runs taken.

Maheesh Theekshana to Shahrukh Khan, Nails the yorker, on middle, Khan clips it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, Stumping chance missed! And there's a chance at the other end too, but the throw does not hit. Flicked from the front of the hand, very full and down leg, Sai steps out and tries to flick but misses. The ball goes off Samson's gloves towards short fine leg and it is picked up by Sandeep Sharma there. Sandeep fires in a throw at the bowling end but misses as a run is sneaked in.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Glorious shot! Floated up from around the wicket, a bit too full, outside off, Sai presses forward and gets under the ball. Thumps it to the right of long off. It bounces just in front of the boundary cushions.

Sandeep Sharma to Sai Sudharsan, Too full, at 122.5 kph, on off, Sai Sudharsan carves it away to deep backward point for a single. An excellent over from Sandeep this.

Sandeep Sharma to Sai Sudharsan, Pace on, overpitched, outside off, Sai squeezes it out but hits it straight to backward point.

Sandeep Sharma to Shahrukh Khan, A leg cutter, slower one, outside off, on a length, Shahrukh drags it to deep mid-wicket for a single. The 50-run stand comes up between Shahrukh and Sai Sudharsan.

Sandeep Sharma to Sai Sudharsan, Full and just outside off, driven away to deep cover for a single.

Sandeep Sharma to Shahrukh Khan, On a length outside off, pulled to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Sandeep Sharma to Sai Sudharsan, Around off, on a length, this is slashed away to deep backward point for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Shahrukh Khan, An appeal for stumping from RR! Flatter on a fuller length, a shade outside off, Shahrukh is early into the drive through the off side, but misses. The ball sneaks under the toe end of his bat and hits Samson on the left pad. It then deflects onto the stumps. Samson appeals for stumping, and the decision is sent upstairs by the on-field umpire. The side-on replay shows Shahrukh's back foot is grounded when the bails come off. NOT OUT!

Did Shahrukh Khan lift his back leg? A stumping appeal has been sent upstairs. Sanju Samson could not gather the ball and it deflected onto the stumps off his left pad. The replays show that when the stumps were broken, Khan had his back leg grounded. NOT OUT!

Maheesh Theekshana to Shahrukh Khan, FOUR! Top placement! Too full and flat from Maheesh, outside off, Shahrukh Khan carves it out and slices it past backward point for a boundary.

Maheesh Theekshana to Shahrukh Khan, FOUR! In the gap! Floated fuller and outside off, Shahrukh Khan lunges forward to drive to the off side, but gets off the thickish outside edge. It bisects the two fielders at backward point and short third for a boundary.

Maheesh Theekshana to Shahrukh Khan, SIX! BANG! OUTTA HERE! Short and on the stumps, Khan rocks back and pulls it well over deep mid-wicket for a huge six.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, Short and on off, knocked to long off for one.

Maheesh Theekshana to Shahrukh Khan, Back of a length, drifting on pads, flicked away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! It’s been a real tug-of-war through the middle overs, with both sides jostling to take control. Rajasthan Royals did well to pull things back after dismissing Jos Buttler, managing to slow down the scoring rate. But Gujarat Titans will take heart from that 14-run over just before the break, which might just be the momentum shift they needed. The Royals have been a bit patchy with the ball, something they can’t afford now with just 6 overs remaining. Titans will have their eyes on pushing the total close to 200, although even that might not be enough tonight with the dew expected to play a big role in the second innings.

Tushar Deshpande to Shahrukh Khan, Another wide yorker, Shahrukh Khan this time takes a step outside off, and drives it to deep extra cover fielder for a single.

Can Tushar Deshpande finish well?

Tushar Deshpande to Shahrukh Khan, Wide yorker just outside the tramline, Shahrukh Khan looked to steer it, but couldn't get any bat on it. Wide given.

Tushar Deshpande to Shahrukh Khan, SIX! WOW! THAT IS SOME SHOT! Full-length delivery on off, Shahrukh Khan gets close to the line of the ball and lofts this one over covers for a big six.

Tushar Deshpande to Shahrukh Khan, Shahrukh Khan charges down the track but Tushar Deshpande spots it and bowls a bouncer that goes way over the batter's head. Wide given.

Tushar Deshpande to Shahrukh Khan, Yorker just outside off, Shahrukh Khan digs it out as he plays it back to the bowler. Dot ball.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, Yorker on the leg stump, Sai looks to flick it and somehow gets some bat on it. The ball goes into the leg side. Single taken.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, Good-length delivery seaming away in the channel outside off, Sai comes charging down to play over covers, but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Nicely done! Slower bouncer just outside off, Sai plays the cut shot in the air, to the left of deep third man for a boundary.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, A slower one by the looks of it, at 119.7 kph, full and outside off, Sai Sudharsan leans on it and drives through cover for a single.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Shahrukh Khan, Short and deviating away from outside off, Khan hops and looks for the ramp, but gets a thick outside edge to deep third for a single.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Shahrukh Khan, Another one pitched halfway, short and on middle, Shahrukh Khan again misses to connect the pull shot.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Shahrukh Khan, Into the surface, short, slow at 119.3 kph, on top of off, Shahrukh is months early to pull and misses to connect.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Shahrukh Khan, FOUR! Oh, that's played with some ease! Angling onto the pads, full in length, Shahrukh Khan flicks it past the diving short fine leg fielder to his left for a boundary.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Shahrukh Khan, INSIDE EDGE, FOUR! Hard length, just outside off, Shahrukh Khan shapes up to pull it away, but inside edges. The ball bounces past the stumps and runs away to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary.

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, Slower short ball, well outside off, Sai Sudharsan pulls it along the ground to the right of the deep mid-wicket fielder. Two runs taken.

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, Back of a length around off, Sai Sudharsan crouches a bit and looks to play the upper cut, but can't connect as the ball zips through to the keeper.

Jofra Archer to Shahrukh Khan, Quicker bouncer aimed at the body, Shahrukh Khan goes for the pull but can't get any bat on it. Samson, the wicket-keeper, jumps to his left and gets a hand to it and deflects it towards deep fine leg. Batters run a bye.

Jofra Archer to Shahrukh Khan, Slower bouncer that dips on the batter. Shahrukh Khan is already through the pull shot and gets beaten as the ball goes to the wicket-keeper on the bounce.

Jofra Archer to Shahrukh Khan, Speared in fuller and on off, Shahrukh Khan closes the bat face a bit early to flick, and gets the leading edge. The ball lobs over the cover-point region for a couple of runs.

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, Had the throw hit, Sai was gone! Archer starts with a yorker on off, Sai drives it straight to mid off and sets off for a quick single. Sandeep Sharma at mid off is quick to gather the ball and he throws it at the bowling end but misses the direct-hit. Sai gets home with a dive.

Shahrukh Khan is in at number 4. Also, Jofra Archer (2-0-14-1) replaces Tushar Deshpande.

Maheesh Theekshana to Jos Buttler, OUT! LBW! Excellent review from the Royals and Maheesh Theekshana has broken through for them. Pushed through by Theekshana, on middle, on the shorter side, Jos has a swipe across the line but the ball skids through to go under the blade and hit him on the back thigh. Sanju Samson has a word with the bowler and takes the review. The UltraEdge shows no bat and the Ball Tracking shows three reds with the ball hitting the leg stump. Theekshana is pumped as he lets out a roar. Jos Buttler falls for 36 (25) and the Titans are now 94/2.

Is that out? An appeal for LBW but the umpire denies. It is sent upstairs for a review by RR. UltraEdge shows a flat line with a clear gap between bat and ball. Ball Tracking comes up with three reds. OUT!

Maheesh Theekshana to Jos Buttler, Fires a yorker in, on middle, Jos digs it out back to the bowler.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, FIFTY FOR SAI! He has been rock solid for GT at the top of the order. Third fifty of the season for Sudharsan. Maheesh Theekshana darts it in, short and on middle, Sai flicks it in front of square on the leg side for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Picks the gap nicely! Around off, on a nagging length, Sai Sudharsan plants his front foot ahead and smears it between deep mid-wicket and long on for a boundary.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, Slows it down and at the stumps, Sai presses forward to block it out.

Maheesh Theekshana to Jos Buttler, At 100.3 kph, on a nagging length, on middle, Jos Buttler hangs back and nudges it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, Nails the yorker, on off, Sai tries to squeeze it out but misses as the ball sneaks under the bat.

Tushar Deshpande to Jos Buttler, Hurls it full, on middle, Jos Buttler flicks it to deep mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, On top of off, on a good length, Sai clips it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, Wide! Spots the batter back away and tries to bang it in but this goes beyond the wide tramline on off.

Tushar Deshpande to Jos Buttler, Pace taken off and bowled from wide of the crease, on a good length, on middle, Buttler turns it through backward square leg for another single.

Tushar Deshpande to Jos Buttler, Sliding into the pads, on a nagging length, Jos flicks it to the right of long on and comes back for the second run.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, On a back of a length, angling away, Sai jabs it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Despite losing Shubman Gill pretty early into the innings, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler have neutralized any threats of a collapse and have batted with positive intent. They have smashed 50 runs in the last four overs. With a solid foundation already set for the middle overs, these two will look to bat with the same intensity. Of course, the track looks like a haven to bat on, and apart from Jofra Archer, RR's bowlers have lacked consistency in their lines and lengths. They will aim to break this partnership as quickly as possible and get into the GT middle order, which has been highly untested so far this season. Will the break in play bring success for RR? Here's Tushar Deshpande replacing Fazalhaq Farooqi. Was carted for 18 in his first over.

Maheesh Theekshana to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Smashed! Full on off, Buttler gets under the ball and lofts this one over the bowler's head for another boundary. Wonderful over for GT. 14 runs off it.

Maheesh Theekshana to Jos Buttler, Pushed through, on off, on a nagging length, Jos gets on top of it and punches it to the right of deep cover for a brace.

Maheesh Theekshana to Jos Buttler, FOUR! POWER! This is a touch fuller on off, Buttler punches it through covers, as the ball races away off the turf for four.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, Darted into the pads, Sai tucks it off the pads wide of mid-wicket for a run.

Maheesh Theekshana to Jos Buttler, Flat and short, on off, Jos punches it wide of cover for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, On off, on a length, Sai makes room and punches it past cover for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Sai Sudharsan, Wide! Slanting down leg, on the shorter side, Sai Sudharsan swings to help it away but misses.

Maheesh Theekshana is introduced into the attack now. He replaces Sandeep Sharma.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Slower bouncer on middle-leg, Buttler pounces on that one as he pulls it towards deep square leg region. The fielder at deep mid-wicket did get there in time but misfields it as the ball went through his legs. The 50-run partnership comes up between Sudharsan and Buttler.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Innovative! Pace off delivery fuller, on off stump line, Buttler moves across and plays the scoop behind the wicket. That is played very fine of the short fine leg fielder to his right.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Jos Buttler, Drags the length back and pushes it across the right-hander, Jos backs away and swings for the pull but the ball sneaks under the bat.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, On off, on a nagging length, tucked to deep square leg for the third single in a row.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Jos Buttler, Going across, on a length, on the off stump, Jos pushes it in front of mid off for a quick single.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, Bashes the hard length from over the wicket and tucks the batter up for room, Sai mistimes the pull to deep square leg for one.

Fazalhaq Farooqi (2-0-17-0) is back on. He repalces Tushar Deshpande.

Sandeep Sharma to Sai Sudharsan, Hurls it right up there, on middle and leg, knocked along the ground to long on for a single.

Sandeep Sharma to Sai Sudharsan, Slanting into the pads, another slower one, on a length, Sudharsan clips it to the left of deep square leg for a couple of runs.

Sandeep Sharma to Jos Buttler, Goes very full, on middle, Jos premeditates the charge and ends up yorking himself. Jams it out to long on for one more.

Sandeep Sharma to Sai Sudharsan, From around the wicket and it is the knuckleball, at 106.5 kph, on a good length, at the stumps, Sai waits back and punches it to long on for a single.

Sandeep Sharma to Jos Buttler, Spots the batter backing away and follows him, on a back of a length, Buttler nudges it to deep square leg for one.

Sandeep Sharma to Jos Buttler, Wide! A well-directed bumper but a bit too high, over middle, Jos swivels for the pull but misses. 50 comes up for the Gujarat Titans!

Sandeep Sharma to Jos Buttler, On off, on a good length, Jos Buttler wrists it from the crease straight to mid-wicket.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! He is just dealing in boundaries at the moment! Almost a half-tracker from Deshpande, across off, Sai Sudharsan hangs on the back foot and cuts it square, perfectly between cover and point for a boundary. An expensive start for Tushar Deshpande as he concedes 18 off his first over. 28 in the last two overs for GT.

Tushar Deshpande to Jos Buttler, A bit of a shape away from off, full in length, Jos Buttler with a front foot push to the mid off region. A single taken.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, On a nagging length, on off, Sai Sudharsan knocks it into the cover region for a single.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! What a shot that is! Not too full, around off, Sai Sudharsan leans onto the ball and with a straight bat face, drives it gun-barrel straight down the ground for a boundary.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, WIDE! Down leg, length. Left. Wide called.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, SIX! Now that is a fine shot! Just outside off, skidding through, a bit full in length, Sai Sudharsan shuffles well across off and scoops it over deep fine leg. It just sails over the fence and goes for a 65-meter six.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, Oh, this one nips back in sharply, on a good length, on top of middle. Sai Sudharsan is a bit surprised with that excessive bounce, but manages to bunt it onto the surface.

Tushar Deshpande to Sai Sudharsan, WIDE! Tushar Deshpande is into the attack and starts off with a loosener! Good length, just down leg going straight on. Sai Sudharsan misses to nudge it across. Wide called.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Jos Buttler, Across off, on a good length, at 132.6 kph, Jos Buttler extends his arms and drives it straight to mid off.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, Swinging a bit away from off, full in length, Sai Sudharsan presses forward and knocks it to the off side, in front of covers. A single taken.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, Angling onto the pads, on a hard length, Sai glances off his hips between deep fine leg and deep square leg for a couple of quick runs.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, SIX! Clever, very clever! Seeing Sudharsan making an initial walk forward, Fazalhaq Farooqi bangs short and outside off, Sai Sudharsan adjusts well to it and ramps it over deep third for a 60-meter six.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Jos Buttler, A low full toss, angling back in from middle, Jos Buttler flicks it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Jos Buttler, Angling across off, on a good length, Jos Buttler expects it to come back in, but it pitches and nibbles away. He throws his bat away from the body, and misses to connect.

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, Length-delivery, angling on top of off, now at 147.2 kph, Sai Sudharsan hops and taps it across into the leg side.

Jofra Archer to Jos Buttler, Back of a length, at 144.9 kph, on middle, Buttler tucks off the inside half of the bat. The ball rolls into the leg side, near mid-wicket and they cross for a single.

Jofra Archer to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Good response from Buttler this time around! Angling in, outside off, full, Jos Buttler caresses it through the gap between cover and point for a cracking boundary.

Jofra Archer to Jos Buttler, Back of a length, skidding through on the stumps, Jos Buttler with a tentative push, gets an inside edge onto the front thigh pad. The ball ricochets and rolls past the square leg region for a couple of runs.

Jofra Archer to Jos Buttler, Man, oh man! This is some serious gas from Archer! Dug into the surface, a steep bumper, on the bodyline. Jos Buttler can only duck under it. Welcome mate, says Archer to his countryman.

Jos Buttler comes in at number 3. Two slips and a short leg in place for Jos.

Jofra Archer to Shubman Gill, OUT! BOWLED'EM! A snorter of a delivery and Jofra enjoys it to bits. He runs in full tilt from over the stumps, at 148 kph. He goes full and angles the ball into the batter, from off, Shubman Gill prods forward tentatively to push it straight, but plays all over the wrong line. And due to the huge yawning gap between the bat and pad, the ball nips back to sneak through and the off stump is pegged back. A rare failure for Gill in Ahmedabad as he departs for 2 (3) and GT are 14/1.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, JAFFA! Some lateral movement there for Farooqi, on a good length, deviating away off the pitch. Sai Sudharsan tries to push into the off side, but is beaten all ends up on the outside edge.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, Touch full and angling into the batter from off. Sai Sudharsan presses forward and pushes it past the point region and scampers back for the second.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Top shot! On the back of a length, shaping away from the left-hander, outside off, Sai Sudharsan waits for it, weighs on the back foot and cuts it to the left of backward point for a cracking boundary.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, An inswinger, full and angling in on off, Sai Sudharsan watchfully pushes it to mid on.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Sai Sudharsan, Fuller one, on middle, Sai flicks it to mid-wicket.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Shubman Gill, Back of a length, angling on middle, from leg, Shubman Gill defends and gets an inside edge on the pads. The ball rolls near the strip on the off side and the batters take a single.

Fazalhaq Farooqi will steam in from the other end.

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! A bit streaky, but GT get their first boundary! Short and into the surface, skidding onto the batter very quickly. Sai goes for a pull shot, but gets a bit of a top edge and the ball flies over the keeper for a boundary.

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, Some serious pace from Archer. An appeal for LBW, but it dies down soon after as the umpire denies. The skipper Samson is still enquiring about it, but turns away eventually. Pitching outside leg, on a fullish length, angling away, Sai Sudharsan misses to flick and wears it on the pads.

Jofra Archer to Shubman Gill, Nipping back into the batter, on a good length, on off, Shubman Gill tucks it across off the back foot and runs a quick single. The GT skipper is also off the mark.

Jofra Archer to Shubman Gill, WIDE! Pace on, short but down leg. Shubman Gill opts out of the pull shot and lets it pass.

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, On a hard length, around off, Sai Sudharsan hops on the back foot and taps it into the off side, near the strip and sets off for a quick single. Gujarat Titans and Sai Sudharsan are off the mark!

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, BEATEN AGAIN! Back of a length, curving away from the left-hander, around off, Sai Sudharsan attempts to cut it square on the off side, but the ball passes above his angled bat. Good bounce once again for Jofra.

Jofra Archer to Sai Sudharsan, BEATEN! On the money is Jofra Archer! He starts off with a couple of slips in position, and lands it on a good length, shaping away from the off stump line. Sai Sudharsan tries to ride the bounce and block, but plays inside the line and the ball beats his outside edge. Good carry behind to the keeper.

We are all set to get going. Sanju Samson and his men are in a huddle near the ropes before taking their respective positions on the field. It will be the left-hand right-hand combination of Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill to open the innings for the Gujarat Titans. Jofra Archer will kickstart the proceedings with the new ball for the Royals. Archer to Sai with two slips in place. Here we go!

Impact players nominated by the Rajasthan Royals - Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal and Kunal Singh Rathore.

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI) - Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (C/WK), Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi (In for Wanindu Hasaranga), Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande (In for Yudhvir Singh).

Impact players nominated by Gujarat Titans - Washington Sundar, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Nishant Sindhu and Kulwant Khejroliya.

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI) - Shubman Gill (C), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (WK), Sherfane Rutherford (In for Washington Sundar), Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshad Khan (In for Ishant Sharma).

The skipper of the Gujarat Titans, Shubman Gill, says that they would have bowled first as well. Adds that there has been dew in the past few games. That said, he points out that they have also done well while batting first at this venue. Mentions that they are not dwelling on the past and the focus is simply on winning every game. When asked about the middle and lower order not getting tested, Gill admits it's often talked about when the top order performs, but as long as they are winning with the top firing, he’s more than happy. States that this venue has been very kind to them, and the support from the crowd has always been tremendous.

The skipper of the Rajasthan Royals, Sanju Samson, expects a bit of dew in the latter stages, so bowling first is a good option. Talks about how each and every game in the IPL is important and feels grateful to win the last two games. As a captain, he feels great to be back to lead the side. Says they retained six players before the auction, but still, it is a very new team, and there are a few new faces in the squad as well. Mentions that it took a bit of time to gel together. About the wicket, he calls it a good one to bat on. Informs Wanindu Hasaranga misses out due to personal reasons, and Fazalhaq Farooqi comes in for him.

TOSS - Sanju Samson calls it correctly and the Rajasthan Royals have opted to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Pommie Mbangwa is near the deck. He shares that the outfield looks fantastic, and the square boundaries are skewed, with 60 metres on one side and 71 on the other, with a straight hit measuring 73 metres. Informs that a red soil surface will be used for this game. Simon Katich joins in and points out there’s a slight tinge of green, but it’s still a good surface for batting. Mentions that this wicket has been used four times over the past couple of seasons, and it has consistently offered decent pace and bounce. Katich reckons it’s a surface where you'd want to bat first if you win the toss. Pommie feels anything in the range of 220 or more could be a strong total, though he also adds that teams should take a few overs to assess before going full throttle.

With this venue traditionally suiting stroke-makers, we might be in for a run bonanza. Head-to-head, the record between these two teams is 5-1 in favour of GT. So, can the Samson-led RR pull one back? Or will the Gujarat Titans continue their dominance over the Rajasthan Royals? We shall find out.

Rajasthan Royals have done well to get two back-to-back wins after having started the campaign with two big losses. Their designated captain, Sanju Samson, is back leading their team, and he started off with a win against a strong PBKS unit. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jofra Archer, two of their biggest match-winners, have found their form back, and RR would be hoping for them to continue the good work. Tushar Deshpande missed out on the last game due to a niggle, so it remains a question if he is now fit to play.

Gujarat Titans are sitting second on the points table with 3 wins under their belt. If they win today, they will climb to the top of the points table. Their bowling attack has worked as a unit, and they would be looking to put in another strong performance. That said, Rashid Khan has looked off-colour, and that is a cause of concern for the Titans. On the other hand, their batting has been top-heavy, with most of the runs scored by the top order, so the lower order, consisting of Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan, is fairly untested this season.

Hello and welcome to this 'Battle of the West' as the Gujarat Titans take on their neighbours, the Rajasthan Royals, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Both teams are riding high on confidence with consecutive wins under their belts and we are in for a thrilling Wednesday night.

... MATCH DAY ...

Match number 23 of the 2025 Indian Premier League is upon us, and we have two in-form teams locking horns against each other. It’s the Gujarat Titans taking on the Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Both teams are coming into the contest with consecutive wins under their belts, and this promises to be a high-octane contest. GT have had their success more on the back of their bowlers, who have defended 3 totals in a row. Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna have clicked, as all three bowlers have taken consistent wickets. Siraj, in fact, has now bagged two Man of the Match awards in a row, as he has found some serious rhythm. Their ace spinner, Rashid Khan, is yet to take a wicket this season, and yet GT have 3 wins on the board, such has been their bowling performance. In the batting department, they are heavily reliant on their top 3, and they have contributed most of the runs. Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler are having a wonderful season, as both of them have consistently delivered. Shubman Gill also got a 50-plus score under his belt in the last game as he anchored GT to win. Their lower order remains untested till now, and that will be a challenge for them going forward. On the other hand, the Rajasthan Royals started their campaign with 2 consecutive losses, but then they bounced back with two consecutive wins. In the first two games, their team didn’t click as a unit. In the game against SRH, their bowling failed miserably as they conceded 286, whereas in the second game, their batting failed, as they ended up with an under-par total of just 151. But then, against CSK and PBKS, they did put on a complete performance as both the departments contributed well. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a well-compiled 67-run knock against PBKS and announced his return to form. Riyan Parag has chipped in with some good contributions, while Nitish Rana played a top knock against CSK. Similarly, Dhruv Jurel and Sanju Samson also played good knocks in the first game. So, collectively, every batter has some runs under their belt. On the bowling part, Jofra Archer’s return to form has been a big relief for RR, as he has started bowling thunderbolts since the last two games. Their spinners, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana too are also doing a fine job in containing runs. Hasaranga, in fact, was amongst the wickets in the game against CSK, where he picked up a 4-fer. So, coming to this game, one can expect a bit of a run-fest at the Narendra Modi Stadium, as that has been the nature of the wicket at the venue. With both teams flying high, who will emerge victorious? Can the Titans make it four wins in a row? Or will the Sanju Samson-led Royals grab an away win? We shall find out.