Ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 Qualifier 2 on May 29 between the Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans and the Riyan Parag-led Rajasthan Royals at the New Chandigarh Stadium, former India spinner and expert commentator Ravichandran Ashwin has made some bold predictions going into the high-octane clash. The 39-year-old strongly backed his belief that the Gill-led side will emerge victorious at Mullanpur and go on to defeat Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which also happens to be GT’s home venue in the IPL.
“GT will 100% beat RR all the way. I can give it in writing. And if GT qualify for the final, they are winning the trophy for sure. They’ve the Ahmedabad track measured to an inch. GT will win their second title. RCB’s only hope is to catch a flight and stop GT in Mullanpur itself because they’ve no chance in Ahmedabad,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
As highlighted by Ashwin, if GT manages to overcome an in-form RR side today, they will have the opportunity to fight for their second IPL title on May 31, having previously won the trophy in their inaugural season in 2022 but falling short of defending it in 2023 under the successful leadership of former captain Hardik Pandya. Since their debut, the Titans have established themselves as one of the most consistent franchises in the IPL, missing the playoffs only once in 2024, when the team transitioned from Pandya’s leadership to Gill. Now well settled under their current captain, GT will also have a point to prove after falling short against the Mumbai Indians in the 2025 Eliminator at the same venue in Mullanpur, while also holding the advantage of being extremely familiar with conditions at their home venue in Ahmedabad should they reach the final.
Ashwin further pointed out that despite RR having the numbers and tactical edge on paper, GT remains his favourite to go through, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the game. The former India spinner also backed 15-year-old RR prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to continue his red-hot form against GT, with the youngster already scoring 680 runs and leading the Orange Cap standings in IPL 2026.
Having registered scores of 31 and 36 in RR’s two previous meetings against GT this season, Ashwin warned Sooryavanshi to remain cautious against GT speedsters Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj. At the same time, he urged the youngster to convert his explosive starts into a match-defining innings, much like his blistering 97 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator, which was a delight for cricket fans to watch.
Though Ashwin wants the youngster to continue displaying his talent and X-factor in today’s clash, GT remains his favourite to progress and lift the IPL 2026 title on May 31.
“The truth is, RR should beat GT in Qualifier 2 in terms of analysis. Yet, GT will win. Vaibhav Suryavanshi will be a massive factor, but he knows he has to be careful against Siraj and Rabada. Even though he scored some in the two matches against GT, he didn’t go helter-skelter. He has to surely score, and I want him to, but I strongly believe GT are winning,” Ashwin concluded.
