IPL 2026: Jurel, Jaiswal and Bishnoi star as Royals edge Titans

Dhruv Jurel’s efficient 75 (42b, 5×4, 5×6), Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unfussed 55 (36b, 6×4, 3×6), and Ravi Bishnoi’s four for 41 helped Rajasthan Royals edge Gujarat Titans by six runs in the latter’s first home fixture of this IPL season at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Saturday (April 4, 2026).

With 30 needed off 18 balls in a pursuit of 211, Rashid Khan (24) and Kagiso Rabada (23 n.o.) tried to pull off a heist but failed.

Earlier, opener Sai Sudharsan produced an innings of soaring majesty (73, 44b, 9×4, 3×6). It wasn’t just clean hitting, it was control disguised as ease. If T20 batting was a nightclub, he would be the guy reading a book in the corner and somehow owning the place. His innings made it seem the chase bent to his will, like grass in a hard wind.

For Royals, Jaiswal’s innings was both silk and shrapnel, inlay and impulse. It had everything Jaiswal. The high-elbowed ease, the flat-batted fury, the pick-and-pummel, the shuffle-and-slice, the drift-and-ramp, and the stand-and-deliver.

Assault on Siraj

Jaiswal took Mohammed Siraj apart in one over, lofting him over covers for a six, flicking him past short fine leg for a four, and lofting him over mid-off for a four. He pulled Rabada for a six over deep midwicket and later shuffled across to ramp him over the ’keeper for a four.

Against Prasidh Krishna, he hit a straight six to long-on, nudged one behind square on the leg side for a four, and backed away to slice another four past backward point. He brought up his fifty with a four between extra cover and mid-off against Siraj.

Jurel’s knock had streaky fours, but when he really clicked, it was T20 batting with a velvet glove. He seemed to operate in a version of the game where effort had been reduced to its essentials. A step, a lean, a swing — and the rest was delegated to timing.

Remarkably, he stepped out to Rashid to pick the googly and slug it over wide long-on for a six. Later, he dispatched both Ashok Sharma and Prasidh over deep midwicket with clean, decisive swings.