April 9, 2025 – Ahmedabad: Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson won the toss and elected to bowl first against Gujarat Titans (GT) in a crucial IPL 2025 clash at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Both teams are eager to grab a pivotal win in their campaign as the tournament enters a critical phase.
Wanindu Hasaranga Misses Out, Fazalhaq Farooqi Drafted In
In a surprise development, RR’s INR 5.25 crore signing Wanindu Hasaranga missed the match due to personal reasons. The dynamic Sri Lankan all-rounder, expected to play a key role in the middle overs, was replaced by Afghanistan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi in the starting XI. This sudden change could impact Rajasthan’s spin-heavy strategy on the slow Ahmedabad pitch.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans fielded an unchanged XI, with skipper Shubman Gill showing confidence in his balanced and in-form lineup.
Match Context: Top-Table Stakes
Gujarat Titans, currently holding six points, are aiming to cement their position among the top four on the IPL 2025 points table with another victory. For the Rajasthan Royals, who have four points, this match presents an opportunity to escape the congested mid-table battle and return to winning ways.
Playing XIs and Impact Subs
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (c & wk), Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande
Impact Subs: Kunal Singh Rathore, Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma
Impact Subs: Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Arshad Khan
Spotlight Players
- Shubman Gill continues to lead Gujarat Titans with poise, while his opening partnership with Sai Sudharsan has proven dependable in the powerplay.
- Jos Buttler, playing as a specialist wicketkeeper-batter, adds firepower to the GT middle order.
- For Rajasthan, Sanju Samson remains a vital cog both as a leader and aggressive top-order batter.
- The inclusion of Fazalhaq Farooqi adds left-arm pace variety to RR’s attack, partnering with experienced campaigners like Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma.
