Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans Timeline

Two IPL champions. Two debut-season title winners separated by fourteen years. When Gujarat Titans entered the IPL in 2022 and immediately won the championship, they joined Rajasthan Royals — victors of the inaugural 2008 edition as the only franchises to lift the trophy in their debut season. That symmetry gives this rivalry a unique resonance, and the 2022 IPL Final, where GT beat RR to complete their fairy tale, stands as one of the most historic moments in the tournament's history. GT currently lead the head-to-head 6–3 across nine meetings, anchored by their dominant 2022 season. But RR have struck back most memorably through 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's record-breaking 101* against GT in 2025. This is the complete Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans timeline.

RR vs GT Head-to-Head Stats

Overall Statistics

All Matches: RR vs GT Timeline

Key Highlights from RR vs GT Matches

IPL 2022 – GT's Championship Season

Gujarat Titans' debut IPL campaign produced three successive victories over Rajasthan Royals, culminating in a historic title. The first meeting at DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai set the tone: GT posted 192/4 and defended it comfortably to win by 37 runs despite Jos Buttler's fighting contribution at the top of RR's order. RR were restricted to 155/9, and GT's championship credentials were visible from the very start of the season.

The Qualifier 1 at Eden Gardens produced an equally decisive display. RR posted 188/6, but GT were never truly tested in the chase. David Miller's sensational 68* off 30 balls — which included three consecutive sixes off Prasidh Krishna — all but sealed the pursuit as GT reached 189/3 with three balls to spare, booking a direct path to the final.

The IPL 2022 Final – A Fairy Tale Crowned

The IPL 2022 Final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad stands as the most significant match in this rivalry's short history. With GT playing at home in front of more than 100,000 spectators, RR captain Sanju Samson won the toss and chose to bat first — a decision that would backfire dramatically.

Hardik Pandya opened with his bowling and produced an all-round masterclass that will be remembered long after the details fade. His 3/17 in four overs dismantled RR's batting order, including the vital wickets of Jos Buttler (39 off 35), and RR never found the fluency their top order is capable of. They collapsed to 130/9, well below a competitive total on a surface that had offered far more to batting sides during the tournament.

Chasing 131, GT wobbled early — reduced to 31/2 at the end of the powerplay — but Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya steadied the innings with a composed 63-run third-wicket partnership. Gill anchored brilliantly for an unbeaten 45 off 43, while Pandya added a responsible 34 off 30 before Yuzvendra Chahal's beautiful turning delivery sent him back to the pavilion. David Miller then ended proceedings with a flurry of boundaries as GT crossed the line in 18.1 overs, winning by 7 wickets with 11 balls to spare. Hardik Pandya was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance.

GT became the first franchise in IPL history to win the title in their debut season — echoing what RR had done under Shane Warne in 2008. The symmetry was not lost on anyone.

IPL 2023 – RR's First Victory, and GT's Response

After losing all three meetings in 2022, RR finally beat GT — and did so in dramatic fashion. At Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on April 16, GT posted 177/7. RR's chase fell into crisis: they were 66 for 4 at the halfway stage with a win probability under 2% according to ESPNcricinfo's calculations. It appeared over. Then Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer combined to engineer one of the most improbable comebacks of the IPL season. Hetmyer's unbeaten 56 off 26 balls was the decisive blow, his counter-attacking strokeplay carrying RR home with four balls to spare and three wickets in hand. Hetmyer was named Player of the Match and RR avenged — at least partially — their 2022 Final defeat.

The reverse fixture at Jaipur on May 5 told a completely different story. On their home ground at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, RR were bundled out for just 118 — their lowest total in this fixture. Rashid Khan's 3/14 was the spearhead of GT's bowling attack, dismantling the Royals' batting lineup alongside Hardik Pandya. GT responded with 119/1 in just 13.5 overs, winning by 9 wickets with 37 balls to spare. It remains GT's most comprehensive victory in this rivalry by margin of balls remaining.

IPL 2024 – Jaipur Goes Down to the Wire

The 2024 meeting at Sawai Mansingh Stadium produced the closest finish in the rivalry outside the 2019 SuperOver era. RR posted a formidable 196/3, setting GT a stiff target on a batting-friendly surface. The chase required nerves and composure, and GT provided both — anchored by Shubman Gill's measured innings, they reached 199/7 off the final ball. GT won by 3 wickets. It was the kind of match that encapsulates what this rivalry has become: high scoring, right to the last delivery, and decided by the smallest margins.

IPL 2025 – A Season for the Ages

The 2025 season produced not only the most extraordinary individual performance in this rivalry's history, but also the biggest team margin of victory — all within three weeks.

Match 7 – Ahmedabad, April 9, 2025: GT posted 217/6 on their home ground, with Sai Sudharsan anchoring a composed innings of 82 off 53 balls and M. Shahrukh Khan providing late acceleration with 36 off 20. It was a formidable total. RR's chase was hampered by the dry conditions and GT's sharp bowling led by Prasidh Krishna (3/24), who restricted key middle-order batters. RR were bowled out for 159 — giving GT a 58-run victory, the biggest margin in this rivalry's history. Sai Sudharsan won Player of the Match for his contributions in both innings.

Match 8 – Jaipur, April 28, 2025: Nineteen days later came the match the cricket world did not see coming. GT posted 209/4, led by Shubman Gill's 84 and Jos Buttler's measured 50*. It appeared another strong total to defend. It was not.

Opening the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal, 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi walked out and immediately launched Mohammed Siraj for a massive six off the second legal delivery he faced. What followed was one of the most extraordinary individual performances in IPL history. Sooryavanshi reached his half-century off 17 balls. He brought up his century off just 35 deliveries — the second-fastest century in IPL history and the fastest ever by an Indian, second only to Chris Gayle's 30-ball record from 2013. His final tally of 101* off 38 balls included 11 sixes (equalling the record for most by an Indian in a single IPL innings) and 7 fours, with 94 of his 101 runs coming in boundaries.

He became the youngest centurion in IPL history (14 years, 32 days) and the youngest centurion in men's T20 cricket worldwide. Prasidh Krishna's accurate yorker eventually dislodged him, by which point RR needed just 44 more runs from 49 balls. Jaiswal finished unbeaten on 70, Riyan Parag added a quick 32*, and RR crossed 210 in 15.5 overs — completing the fastest successful chase of 200-plus in IPL history. Final score: RR 212/2, won by 8 wickets, their most dominant performance in this rivalry.

IPL 2026 – A Last-Ball Thriller in Ahmedabad

The 2026 meeting at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on April 4 produced the rivalry's closest and most dramatic finish since the 2022 Final. RR batted first with Riyan Parag winning the toss and choosing to bat — a bold call at a high-scoring venue. Dhruv Jurel (75 off 42) and Yashasvi Jaiswal anchored a brilliant innings that climbed to 210/6, a formidable total.

GT's chase — with Shubman Gill absent due to muscle spasms and Rashid Khan stepping up as captain — started promisingly. Sai Sudharsan played an elegant 73 off 44 balls and Buttler provided additional impetus. But then Ravi Bishnoi delivered the decisive 4/41 spell that turned the match on its head, dismantling GT's middle order and reducing them to 161/7. A heroic last-wicket partnership between Kagiso Rabada and Rashid (43 runs for the 8th wicket — a GT IPL record for that partnership) brought the equation down to 10 off the final over. Tushar Deshpande bowled the 20th over under intense pressure, conceding only 4 runs and taking two wickets. GT finished on 204/8. RR won by 6 runs — the narrowest margin in this rivalry, a match that will be remembered for Bishnoi's match-turning spell and Deshpande's nerves of steel in the final over.

Notable Records in the RR vs GT Rivalry

Individual Performances

Team Records

IPL 2022 Final Records

Venue Records (updated through April 2026)

Head-to-Head: Top Performers

Top Batsmen

1. Shubman Gill (GT) – 246 runs — The leading run-scorer in this rivalry and GT's captain since Hardik Pandya's departure. His 84 in the 2025 Jaipur match was the best innings in a losing cause, while his unbeaten 45 in the 2022 Final helped GT lift the trophy. Now dealing with fitness concerns as of IPL 2026 (sat out the Ahmedabad game in April 2026 with muscle spasms).

2. Sanju Samson (RR) – 230 runs — RR's captain and primary run-maker in this fixture. His composure in the middle-order has repeatedly kept RR's chase ambitions alive, most notably in the 2023 Ahmedabad comeback alongside Hetmyer.

3. Hardik Pandya (GT) – 228 runs — The greatest individual match-winner this rivalry has produced. His combined performance in the 2022 Final (3/17 + 34) remains the definitive captain's display in any game between these sides. Also holds the highest individual score by a GT batter in the fixture — an unbeaten 87 in the 2022 Qualifier 1.

4. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR) — Three IPL matches old and already a legend of this fixture. His 101* off 38 balls in April 2025 is the only century in the rivalry, the youngest T20 centurion in men's cricket history, and the fastest century by an Indian in IPL history.

5. Jos Buttler (moved to GT from RR) — Orange Cap winner in IPL 2022 (Player of the Series), his performances across multiple years against whichever team he hasn't been playing for have been crucial. His 50* in the April 2025 game batting for GT was a key contribution to their 209/4 total.

6. Shimron Hetmyer (RR) — The match-winner of RR's first-ever victory against GT. His unbeaten 56 off 26 in the 2023 Ahmedabad comeback remains one of the most celebrated innings in this fixture.

Top Bowlers

1. Rashid Khan (GT) – 7 wickets — Joint leading wicket-taker. His 3/14 in the May 2023 Jaipur game (RR bowled out for 118) was the most economical bowling display in this rivalry. He also captained GT in the 2026 Ahmedabad match and contributed an unbeaten 24 in a last-ditch chase.

2. Mohammed Shami (GT) – 7 wickets — Joint leading wicket-taker. His pace and new-ball skill have consistently restricted RR's openers in this fixture, particularly in the early 2022 encounters.

3. Hardik Pandya (GT) – 7 wickets — Joint leading wicket-taker, including his decisive 3/17 in the 2022 Final. Pandya's wickets in this fixture have almost always come at exactly the wrong moment for RR.

4. Ravi Bishnoi (RR) – 4/41 — The best bowling figures by any RR bowler in the rivalry, delivered in the 2026 Ahmedabad thriller. His match-winning spell won him Player of the Match.

5. Yuzvendra Chahal (RR) — Consistent wicket-taker across multiple seasons, his dismissal of Hardik Pandya with a brilliant turning delivery in the 2022 Final was one of the most celebrated moments for RR despite the eventual defeat.

RR vs GT: What Makes This Rivalry Special?

The connection between these two franchises runs deeper than geography. Rajasthan Royals won the IPL in its very first season, 2008 — the great underdogs, led by Shane Warne, upsetting established cricketing powers against all odds. Gujarat Titans replicated that exact achievement in 2022, the only other franchise in IPL history to win the championship on debut. When GT completed their title that night in Ahmedabad, they echoed history in the most specific way possible.

The 2022 IPL Final therefore carries a weight that no other match in this rivalry can. It was not just a trophy won; it was a torch passed. Two debut champions. One final. One moment of completion.

Since that night, however, the rivalry has evolved markedly. GT's 3–0 dominance in 2022 has compressed to a 6–3 overall lead as of 2026. RR have won three of the last six meetings and taken victories both in Jaipur and twice in Ahmedabad — a ground GT once appeared to own completely in this fixture. The 2025 and 2026 seasons in particular have seen RR play their best cricket in this matchup.

The generational storytelling is exceptional. Hardik Pandya's captaincy and all-round brilliance defined GT's title-winning era. The baton passed to Shubman Gill, who has since carried GT's batting at the top of the order. On the RR side, the emergence of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi — a 14-year-old playing against Rashid Khan, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj and hitting centuries — provides the most electric subplot cricket has seen in some time.

Venue dynamics add strategic texture. At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the record is now level at GT 2–2. At Sawai Mansingh in Jaipur, GT lead 2–1. The balance has shifted from the days when GT seemed unbeatable wherever they played RR.

Conclusion

The Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans timeline is a rivalry between IPL's two debut-season champions — original underdogs separated by 14 years but linked by the same improbable achievement. GT's 6–3 head-to-head lead is anchored by their 2022 dominance, culminating in the Final at Ahmedabad. But RR have hit back with force: three wins from the last six encounters, Sooryavanshi's all-time record century, and last-ball thriller victories in 2026. With Shubman Gill's captaincy maturing at GT and RR's Sooryavanshi-Jaiswal opening partnership producing historic chases, every future meeting between these sides carries the weight of champion versus champion. The next chapter is already being written.