New Chandigarh, May 30: In the second qualifier of IPL 2026, Rajasthan Royals (RR) faced a 7-wicket defeat against Gujarat Titans (GT). Captain Riyan Parag acknowledged that defending a target of 215 runs was possible. He noted that the pitch improved for batting in the second innings.
After the loss to GT, Riyan stated, “It was a good score. I believe 215 runs could have been defended, but after the heavy roller in the second innings, the wicket became slightly better. In the first innings, I felt the spinners were getting more grip, and the slower balls were bouncing more. That’s why I think it was a decent score, but it could have been better. At one point, it seemed we could reach 230 runs, which could have made a significant difference in this crucial match. I believe a score of 230-240 would have truly challenged the run chase.”
Riyan admitted that failing to dismiss Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan early cost the team dearly. He remarked, “Considering GT’s batting lineup, we knew we had to get their openers out quickly, but we failed to do so. This made our path in the match difficult.”
Reflecting on the season, Riyan said, “It has been a good season with many positives. In fact, there were several encouraging aspects. However, if I had to summarize it in a line or two, I think we shouldn’t have qualified. We had many young faces who were relatively inexperienced and had played very little cricket in the IPL. We tried several new combinations and changes. Nevertheless, the passion the players showed and how far we’ve come this season, I believe it’s a great start for a long journey ahead.”
The Rajasthan Royals captain praised Vaibhav Suryavanshi, saying, “I can’t express it in words. There’s a way to just go out and hit big shots, and you get plenty of runs. However, the way he batted was not just slogging. It wasn’t about hitting blindly. He calculates and assesses the conditions. He does everything very well. I still don’t understand how. Hopefully, he continues to do this. I hope he represents our country and brings glory to it. I also hope he continues to play for Rajasthan Royals and helps us become champions again.”
Vaibhav also delivered a remarkable performance in the second qualifier, scoring 96 runs off 47 balls, including 8 fours and 7 sixes. He concluded IPL 2026 with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237 across 16 matches.
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