Rashid vs Sooryavanshi could decide Qualifier 2

As Gujarat Titans prepare for their knockout clash with Rajasthan Royals, one battle stands above the rest: Rashid Khan versus teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

In an IPL season dominated by seamers and punishing for most spinners, Rashid has quietly rediscovered his best form. He remains the only spinner inside the top ten wicket-takers of IPL 2026, with 19 wickets at an economy of 8.77.

More importantly for GT, he has become a middle-overs game-breaker again.

Rashid’s return to control and fizz

Last season was arguably Rashid’s toughest IPL campaign. Recovering from back surgery, he struggled for rhythm, leaked boundaries and repeatedly missed his lengths.

This year, the sharpness has returned.

His quicker movement through the crease, extra energy in delivery stride and trademark skid off the pitch have restored the pressure he creates. The numbers underline it:

• Most wickets in overs 7-16 this season: 17
• Significant improvement in economy and boundary prevention
• Key wickets against attacking middle-order players throughout the season

GT assistant coach Parthiv Patel summed it up simply: Rashid “always wants those difficult situations.”

The Sooryavanshi challenge

That mindset will be tested against Sooryavanshi, whose fearless hitting has transformed RR’s season.

The 15-year-old has already broken the IPL record for most sixes in a season and arrives after demolishing Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator.

But Rashid has already shown he can disrupt him.

Earlier this season in Ahmedabad, Sooryavanshi raced to 31 off 17 balls before Rashid entered in the seventh over with a carefully constructed plan:

• Bowl quick legbreaks into the body
• Deny access to the shorter boundary
• Force the aerial shot toward the bigger leg-side pocket

The result: Sooryavanshi holed out to Glenn Phillips at deep midwicket.

It was classic Rashid — pressure through precision rather than mystery alone.

RR’s middle order also under threat

Rashid’s influence extends beyond the powerplay matchup.

The last time GT faced RR, he dismissed:

• Dhruv Jurel
• Ravindra Jadeja
• Donovan Ferreira
• Shubham Dubey

His dismissal of Ferreira in Jaipur especially showcased his rediscovered bite — a fast-spun legbreak with dip and sharp turn that completely beat the batter’s read.

A spinner thriving in a seamers’ IPL

IPL 2026 has heavily favoured pace bowlers hitting hard lengths, yet Rashid has remained elite by sticking to fundamentals:

• limiting boundary options,
• building dot-ball pressure,
• and attacking once batters are forced into risks.

On a reused New Chandigarh surface that may slow further, his role could become even bigger.

If RR’s explosive top order survives GT’s seamers, Rashid may still stand between them and the final.