Introduction
When you place the Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals side by side in any IPL standings table, you are looking at two of the most historically significant franchises in the Indian Premier League — yet two teams currently operating at starkly different ends of the points table. Gujarat Titans, the youngest champions in IPL history, finished third in the IPL 2025 standings with 18 points from 14 league matches. Rajasthan Royals, one of the IPL’s founding clubs and inaugural champions in 2008, stumbled badly through IPL 2025, finishing ninth with just 8 points — a campaign that raised serious structural questions about the franchise’s direction heading into 2026.
This article delivers everything fans, fantasy cricket players, and data-driven followers need: the definitive GT vs RR IPL standings comparison, the full head-to-head match history, a deep-dive into both teams’ IPL 2026 squads, and a forward-looking analysis of what the standings battle between these two sides will look like when the new season begins.
Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals: IPL 2025 Final Standings
The IPL 2025 season was a tale of two very different journeys for these franchises, and the final points table told the story bluntly.
Gujarat Titans — IPL 2025 Final Standing: 3rd Place
| Matches | Won | Lost | NR | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 18 | +0.254 |
Gujarat Titans finished IPL 2025 in third position, qualifying comfortably for the playoffs. Under the captaincy of Shubman Gill, GT were one of the most consistent teams throughout the league stage. Their bowling attack — spearheaded by Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and the irreplaceable Rashid Khan — was arguably the most balanced in the competition. Siraj recorded his best IPL figures of 4/17 in a single match during the season. Prasidh Krishna emerged as the season’s standout wicket-taker for the franchise, claiming 16 wickets in 8 matches at an average of 14.12 and an economy of 7.29.
In the standings context, GT were placed second in Group B — the group that included Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants. Their NRR of +0.254 reflected a team that won comprehensively when they won.
Rajasthan Royals — IPL 2025 Final Standing: 9th Place
| Matches | Won | Lost | NR | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | -0.549 |
Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2025 campaign was deeply disappointing. A fifth-season stumble for a franchise that had reached the final in 2022 and performed creditably in 2023 and 2024, RR’s ninth-place finish with a negative NRR of -0.549 revealed systemic problems — inconsistent batting, a lack of penetration from their overseas bowling options, and an inability to string wins together at critical points in the season. At one stage during the campaign, RR were on a five-match losing streak. They finished the season having won only 4 of their 14 league games, collecting a meagre 8 points.
The disparity between the Gujarat Titans (18 points) and Rajasthan Royals (8 points) in IPL 2025 — a gap of 10 points — is the widest points difference between these two specific franchises in any IPL season since GT’s inception in 2022.
GT vs RR Head-to-Head Record in IPL: All Matches (2022–2025)
The head-to-head record between these two franchises is one of the most one-sided of any modern IPL rivalry. Since the Gujarat Titans debuted in IPL 2022, the two teams have met eight times across all IPL matches.
GT have won 6 of their 8 meetings with RR, while the Royals have managed just 2 wins in return.
Complete GT vs RR Match-by-Match History:
| Year | Venue | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai | Gujarat Titans | 37 runs |
| 2022 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Gujarat Titans | 7 wickets |
| 2022 (Qualifier 1) | Eden Gardens | Gujarat Titans | 7 wickets |
| 2022 (IPL Final) | Narendra Modi Stadium | Gujarat Titans | 7 wickets |
| 2023 | Narendra Modi Stadium | Rajasthan Royals | 3 wickets |
| 2023 | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Gujarat Titans | 9 wickets |
| 2024 | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Gujarat Titans | 3 wickets |
| 2025 (Match 1) | Narendra Modi Stadium | Gujarat Titans | 58 runs |
| 2025 (Match 2) | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Rajasthan Royals | 8 wickets |
The very first meeting between these sides was in the 2022 IPL final, where GT emerged victorious — remarkable for a debut franchise — and RR’s only long-standing revenge was a 2023 win at Ahmedabad and another in 2025 at Jaipur.
Key Head-to-Head Statistical Highlights:
- GT’s highest total vs RR: 217 (a commanding batting display reflecting GT’s T20 firepower)
- RR highest total vs GT: 196 (IPL 2024, Jaipur — Riyan Parag top-scored with 76 off 48 balls)
- RR lowest total vs GT: 118 (reflecting GT’s bowling dominance in certain encounters)
- Top run-scorer overall: Shubman Gill (GT) — 246 runs across all GT vs RR matches, ahead of Sanju Samson (230) and Hardik Pandya (228).
- Top wicket-takers: Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, and Rashid Khan jointly lead with 7 wickets each across all GT vs RR matches.
- Highest individual score: Jos Buttler (RR) — 89 off 56 balls in Qualifier 1 of 2022 (a losing cause, as GT still won by 7 wickets).
One critical data point that stands out for fantasy cricket users and match prediction audiences: GT are unbeaten at neutral venues against RR (2 from 2) and hold a 2–1 record at their home ground, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The Rivalry’s Defining Moment: IPL 2022 Final
No GT vs RR meeting has been more significant than the 2022 IPL Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket stadium. Gujarat Titans — playing their first-ever IPL season — restricted Rajasthan Royals to 130 all out and chased it down in 18.1 overs with 7 wickets to spare. The scale of the victory was stunning.
A brand-new franchise, built with shrewd auction strategies by Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki and Head Coach Ashish Nehra, had walked into the IPL and won the title at the first attempt. For RR, whose own title had come 14 years earlier in the inaugural 2008 season, the defeat in the final was a body blow that still echoes in the context of the head-to-head standings today.
IPL 2026 Squad Analysis: Where GT and RR Stand Heading Into the New Season
Gujarat Titans IPL 2026 Squad — Built to Dominate Again
Gujarat Titans’ retained core for IPL 2026 includes captain Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Kishore, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Kagiso Rabada, and Glenn Phillips.
At the IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi in December 2025, GT added West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder for ₹7 crore, England wicketkeeper-batter Tom Banton for ₹2 crore, young pacer Ashok Sharma for ₹90 lakh, and England left-arm pacer Luke Wood for ₹75 lakh.
Full GT IPL 2026 Squad: Batters: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Kumar Kushagra, Jos Buttler, Anuj Rawat, Tom Banton. Bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Kishore, Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Manav Suthar, Ashok Sharma, Luke Wood. All-rounders: Rashid Khan, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Arshad Khan, Nishant Sindhu.
This is an extraordinarily well-constructed squad. The pace attack of Siraj, Rabada, Prasidh, and Ashok Sharma is among the most fearsome in IPL 2026. The spin combination of Rashid Khan, Washington Sundar, and Sai Kishore covers all phases and pitch conditions. Buttler at the top of the order alongside Gill gives GT a batting unit capable of posting 200+ on any surface.
GT IPL 2026 Verdict: Tier 1 title contenders.
Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 Squad — Rebuilt Around Youth and Pace
Rajasthan Royals have made bold changes following their IPL 2025 disaster. RR’s IPL 2026 squad includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, and Shubham Dubey.
At the mini-auction, Rajasthan Royals won a bidding war to secure leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi for ₹7.20 crore — a sharp acquisition that directly addresses their 2025 spin-bowling deficiency.
The youth factor in RR’s squad is striking. Vaibhav Suryavanshi — the 14-year-old phenomenon who scored 175 in the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup final against England — is one of the most-watched teenagers in global cricket. His explosive batting at the top of the order, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, gives RR one of the most electrifying potential opening combinations in IPL history.
Jofra Archer, when fit, remains one of the most dangerous fast bowlers in the world. Sam Curran’s batting and left-arm pace add genuine lower-order depth. The key question for RR is fitness management and whether Archer can remain available for the full season.
RR IPL 2026 Verdict: Potential playoff contenders — but dependent heavily on overseas availability and whether their youth delivers on T20 pressure stages.
GT vs RR IPL 2026: What the Standings Battle Will Look Like
Based on squad depth, auction outcomes, and the divergent 2025 trajectories, the GT vs RR standings battle in IPL 2026 projects as follows:
Gujarat Titans enter IPL 2026 as one of three genuine title favourites alongside Punjab Kings (reigning IPL 2025 champions) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Their squad depth in bowling — now featuring Rabada, Siraj, Holder, and Rashid Khan — is unmatched. They should be comfortably in the top four from their group.
Rajasthan Royals are in rebuild mode. The Suryavanshi–Jaiswal opening combination gives them a potentially explosive top order, but the middle order’s fragility in 2025 has not been fully addressed. A playoff finish would represent genuine recovery; another bottom-half finish would trigger serious structural debate about the franchise’s recruitment strategy.
The two sides will meet twice in the IPL 2026 league stage. Both meetings will be eagerly anticipated — especially whether RR’s rebuilt squad can finally produce a competitive head-to-head record against a franchise that has dominated them since entering the IPL in 2022.
FAQs: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals Standings
Q: What is the GT vs RR head-to-head record in the IPL?
A: As of February 2026, Gujarat Titans lead the head-to-head record with 6 wins from 8 matches. Rajasthan Royals have won 2 matches.
Q: Where did Gujarat Titans finish in the IPL 2025 standings?
A: Gujarat Titans finished third in the IPL 2025 points table with 18 points from 14 matches, qualifying for the playoffs with an NRR of +0.254.
Q: Where did Rajasthan Royals finish in the IPL 2025 standings?
A: Rajasthan Royals finished ninth with just 8 points from 14 matches and a negative NRR of -0.549 — one of their worst IPL campaigns in recent history.
Q: Who is the top run-scorer in GT vs RR IPL matches?
A: Shubman Gill leads the batting charts in GT vs RR matches with 246 runs across all head-to-head games.
Q: Who are the key new additions for RR in IPL 2026?
A: Rajasthan Royals signed Ravi Bishnoi (₹7.20 crore) as their marquee mini-auction addition. Their retained squad also includes highly anticipated debut prospect Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Q: When does IPL 2026 start?
A: IPL 2026 is scheduled to begin in late March 2026. The exact fixture list, including GT vs RR match dates, is expected to be released by the BCCI in February 2026.