Rajasthan Royals have won the toss and have opted to bat
Rashid leads as Gill misses out, Kushagra gets first game
Shubman Gill missed the game as Gujarat Titans made a late change, handing the captaincy to vice-captain Rashid Khan for the night. Rashid walked out for the toss, confirming Gill’s absence and a shift in leadership for this fixture. The change came without prior indication, leaving the Titans to adjust on match day.
This is the first time Shubman Gill is missing a game for GT. Only Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia (62) have featured in all their games as of today
Kushagra handed opportunity
Kumar Kushagra was drafted into the XI, playing his first match of the season. He has been part of the squad and now gets a chance to contribute as a wicketkeeper-batter.
For Gujarat, the move offers depth while managing player availability.
Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans Captain): “[Are you surprised to see Royals win the toss and bat first?] Well, it is surprising. We wanted to bowl first. It is a fresh wicket. There is going to be some help for the bowlers early on. Quite happy with the toss so far. Shubman Gill got a little muscle spasm. He will be back very soon.
Riyan Parag (Rajasthan Royals Captain): “We are going to bat first. Looking a little on the stats, 70 percent have been favouring the side batting first. Plus we made a few changes to our side and that’s why we are batting first.