GT vs RR Today’s Match Prediction and Betting Tips | Match 9, IPL 2026

Gujarat Titans (GT) take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 9th match of IPL 2026 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on April 5th 2026 and this one is shaping up to be a proper contest. Two sides with contrasting starts to the season, a ground that almost guarantees fireworks with the bat, and dew in the second innings that could completely flip the game on its head. GT come in stinging from an opening loss against Punjab Kings and desperately need a win at home, while RR arrive full of confidence after dismantling CSK in a chase that barely lasted 13 overs. Both teams have match winners all over the park and neither is coming here to settle for a close defeat. We have gone through the form, the numbers and the conditions and we are backing Gujarat Titans to win this one. Here is our full GT vs RR today match prediction, expert analysis and free IPL cricket prediction for Match 9.

GT vs RR | IPL 2026

Gujarat Titans

VS

Rajasthan Royals

• Match: Match 9, TATA IPL 2026
• Series: Indian Premier League 2026
• Teams: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals
• Date: 4th April 2026
• Time: 7:30 PM LOCAL and IST, 2:00 PM GMT, 7:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM ET
• Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
• Broadcast: Star Sports 1 HD / Star Sports 3
• Streaming: JioHotstar

Team Preview and Performance

Gujarat Titans

The Gujarat Titans (GT) have played one match in this season of IPL 2026. The opening match resulted in a 3 wicket loss against Punjab Kings.

Batting first in their previous match, the Titans started well. Soon after Sai Sudharsan’s wicket at 3.4 overs, skipper Shubman Gill scored 39 runs in 27 balls along with Jos Buttler who scored 38 runs in 33 balls. In the tenth over, after Gill’s wicket, Glenn Phillips entered and scored 25 runs in 17 balls. In the end, Washington Sundar and Shahrukh Khan contributed some quick runs to finish on 162/6 in 20 overs.

While restricting the chase, the bowlers did excellently. Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan ended the 76-run partnership when Prabhsimran holed out, with Ashok Sharma and Washington Sundar both sharing one wicket each. Prasidh Krishna was the game changer, taking three crucial wickets including the skipper’s wicket, putting opponents in trouble. But it was not enough as Cooper Connolly took the match away from Gujarat Titans.

Overall, the team is well balanced with both bat and ball but need to bounce back in this 9th match of IPL 2026 and should look for improvements from their top batters. They are currently sitting at seventh position with a negative net run rate of -0.509 and will look to come back stronger and win this match against RR.

Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals (RR) are up and running in IPL 2026. Top of the table, net run rate of 4.171, and one game played. That is how dominant their opening win was.

Riyan Parag won the toss and sent CSK in. From there the bowlers made it look embarrassingly easy. Archer and Burger got into the openers immediately, four wickets down inside the powerplay and CSK were already in serious trouble. Jadeja did the damage through the middle with two wickets from the spin end. Brijesh Sharma, Sandeep Sharma and Ravi Bishnoi each chipped in with one and CSK were folded for 127 in 19.4 overs. A total that never looked like being enough.

The chase lasted barely half the match. Jaiswal gave it a solid start with 38 off 36 but Vaibhav Suryavanshi took the game away from CSK in a matter of minutes. 52 runs off 17 balls, four fours, five sixes. The youngest player on the pitch and he batted like the target was an insult. Jurel knocked a quickfire 18 off 9, Parag and Jaiswal closed it out at 128/2 in 12.1 overs. Job done before most teams had even settled in.

Royals look genuinely dangerous this season and they will be eyeing another win in Match 9 against Gujarat Titans. GT are already on the back foot after their opening loss and Rajasthan will not be going easy on them.

Today’s Playing XI Prediction — GT vs RR Match 9, IPL 2026

Gujarat Titans XI: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, M Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj

Rajasthan Royals XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma

GT vs RR Key Players to Watch — Match 9, IPL 2026

Rajasthan Royals

• Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Batter) Fifteen balls. Half century. Against CSK. The 15-year-old has announced himself to IPL 2026 in the loudest way possible and every team is now doing their homework on him. GT’s pace battery will test him hard but if he gets going early, this chase is over before it starts.
• Yashasvi Jaiswal (Batter) 38 not out in the opener and he barely needed to shift gears. Jaiswal is the kind of opener who makes big totals look manageable. Give him ten overs at the crease and RR are already halfway home. GT cannot afford to let both him and Suryavanshi fire together.
• Ravindra Jadeja (All-rounder) Back at his original franchise and straight back to business. 2/18 in game one, bowled with real discipline and still a genuine threat with the bat lower down. GT’s middle order will need a plan for him because Jadeja in this form does not give you easy overs.
• Jofra Archer (Bowler) Economy of 4.75 in the first game on a flat surface. That is not a typo. Archer is leading this attack with real authority and his pace on what is expected to be a high scoring Ahmedabad pitch will be the difference between a defendable total and a very long day for RR’s bowlers.

Gujarat Titans

• Shubman Gill (Captain/Batter) 332 runs in this specific rivalry. More than any other batter. Gill knows how to play against RR and he knows this ground better than most. Scored 39 in the opener without looking at his best. If he gets a big one here, GT are right back in this tournament.
• Jos Buttler (Batter) Facing his former team and carrying a point to prove. His 38 off 33 in the opener was not the Buttler carnage GT were hoping for but his record at Ahmedabad is hard to ignore. One good powerplay and he can take any attack apart. RR know exactly what he is capable of.
• Prasidh Krishna (Bowler) Three wickets for 29 in game one and already among the top wicket takers of the season. GT’s most dangerous bowler right now and the one RR’s top order will be most wary of. If he gets Jaiswal or Suryavanshi early, the whole complexion of this game changes.
• Rashid Khan (Bowler) Ten wickets against RR in this rivalry. Ten. No bowler has troubled RR more in head to head meetings than Rashid and GT will lean on him heavily through the middle overs. If the pitch offers anything at all, he will find it. RR’s middle order batters need a clear plan going in.

Key Matchup to Watch

Vaibhav Suryavanshi vs GT’s Pace Battery The whole cricket world is watching this kid. GT’s pace bowlers will come hard at him with short balls, wide yorkers and everything in between. How Suryavanshi handles that pressure in the powerplay is the most anticipated battle of Match 9.

Shubman Gill vs Jofra Archer Captain against captain’s bowler. Gill needs a big score and Archer wants his wicket inside the first five overs. One of them sets the tone for their entire side and this contest will likely decide which way the game swings.

GT vs RR Weather Report – Ahmedabad

• Temperature: 27.5°C
• Humidity: 33%
• Rain: 50% Chance of Rain
• Wind: WNW at 11.2KPH

GT vs RR 9th Match Pitch Report — Narendra Modi Stadium

Narendra Modi Stadium has an average first innings score of 216 and that number tells you everything you need to know about this pitch. Come here expecting a battle and you will be disappointed.

The outfield is quick, the bounce is true and the ball comes onto the bat beautifully. Batters do not need to do much, the pitch does half the work for them. Shots that die in the outfield elsewhere go for four here without breaking sweat.

Spinners have had a tough time at this ground recently. Pace bowlers have taken more than double the wickets and that tells you everything about the surface. Archer, Prasidh Krishna, Burger, they will all be eyeing big nights here.

Then there is the dew. Anyone who has watched a night game at this ground knows what happens in the second innings. The ball gets wet, the bowlers lose grip and the fielding side starts struggling to take clean catches. Defending totals becomes a lottery. Batting second at Narendra Modi is not just preferable, it is a serious advantage.

Toss is going to matter in the GT vs RR clash. Whoever wins it is bowling first, no question. With these two batting line-ups, 200 is not a ceiling, it is a starting point.

GT vs RR Toss Prediction — Match 9, IPL 2026

Shubman Gill knows this ground inside out and he will not hesitate if he calls it right. Dew in the second innings at Narendra Modi Stadium is a bowler’s nightmare and no captain in their right mind wants to defend a total here at night. GT win the toss, bowl first, and back their batting to chase whatever RR put up. Simple as that.

GT vs RR Head to Head — Match 9, IPL 2026

The toss tells an interesting story here. RR have won six of the eight tosses but still only managed two wins overall. GT won fewer tosses but walked away with six matches. The numbers say GT simply play better cricket in this fixture regardless of conditions.

The averages back that up too. GT score 179 per innings against RR compared to RR’s 167. GT also average just 4.38 wickets lost per innings while RR lose seven on average. In head to head terms, this is GT’s fixture and RR know it.

For the best odds on this match, check out our recommended Best Betting Sites in India to find the most competitive lines before placing your bet.

Today’s Betting Insights — GT vs RR IPL 2026

• Who will win the toss Today: GT to win the toss and elect to bowl first.
• Top Batter to Watch: Glenn Phillips
• Top Bowler to Watch: Ravindra Jadeja
• Free Betting Tips: Team bowling first are favourite to win this 9th match IPL 2026.

Looking for more betting tips for IPL 2026? Check our IPL Betting Tips

GT vs RR Today’s Match Prediction — Who Will Win Today’s Match?

RR are in good form and Suryavanshi is the most dangerous teenager in the competition right now. But this is GT’s fixture, their ground and their record. Six wins from eight head to head meetings says everything. Gill is due a big one, Rashid has ten wickets against RR in this rivalry and Prasidh Krishna is bowling as well as anyone in the tournament. GT win the toss, bowl first and chase it down.

Today’s IPL Match Prediction — Gujarat Titans to win Match 9, IPL 2026.

If you missed our previous analysis, check out our DC vs MI Today Match Prediction & Betting Tips — Match 8, IPL 2026 for the full breakdown.