3 reasons why Rajasthan Royals are favourites to qualify for IPL 2026 Final

Rajasthan Royals qualified for the IPL 2026 playoffs on the final day of the league stage.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) recorded a resounding victory over 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Eliminator of the Indian Premier League 2026. Next up, the Royals will face the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 2 on May 29 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium.

While GT suffered a disappointing defeat against the defending champions, RCB, in Qualifier 1, Rajasthan are looking like the absolute favourites, courtesy of their in-form line-up. Both teams also faced each other twice in the group stage, with each winning one game.

Thus, on the same note, let’s take a look at the 3 reasons why the Rajasthan Royals are favourites to qualify for the IPL 2026 final.

3. Jofra Archer’s all-round brilliance

Jofra Archer has picked up form at the right juncture for the Royals. The Englishman has been flawless with the ball while also delivering a few good batting performances.

In 15 matches, Archer has picked up 24 wickets for the Royals with an economy of 9.17, which is already his best performance in a single season in the tournament’s history. Archer is currently third in the race for the purple cap, only behind Bhubaneshwar Kumar and Kagiso Rabada.

The 31-year-old has taken six wickets in the last two matches, which shows that he’s currently the man in form. Meanwhile, against the Mumbai Indians in Rajasthan’s final league game, Archer also scored 32 runs off 15 deliveries.

Archer has helped the inaugural champions turn tight matches into victories with his pace and accurate Yorkers.

2. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fearless batting

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is on his way to solidifying himself as a big-match player. The 15-year-old is currently the top run-scorer in the league with 680 runs in 15 matches, with a strike rate of 242 and an average of 45.

Sooryavanshi has hit 65 maximums and 55 fours in the ongoing campaign, a majority of which have come against the top bowlers of the IPL. Against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the eliminator, he scored 97 runs off just 29 deliveries.

He also scored 175 runs off 80 balls in the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup final earlier this year. Sooryavanshi’s explosive batting has made his fearless intent clear, which has worked in the Royals’ favour for the majority of the season.

1. Momentum getting into the playoffs

Rajasthan Royals started their 2026 campaign on a high note, winning all four of their initial matches. However, they later endured disappointing losses but still made the cut into the top four and secured a berth in the playoffs.

Currently on a three-match winning streak, the Royals’ batting and bowling departments have worked in sync. While Nandre Burger, Yash Raj Punja and Ravindra Jadeja have also helped the team with the bowling, the likes of Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag have tried their hand at explosive batting.

Currently functioning as an effective unit, the Royals are the most likely candidates to qualify for the IPL 2026 final over the Gujarat Titans.

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