RR need a Jaipur win against LSG to stay in the IPL 2026 playoff hunt
Rajasthan Royals walk back into Sawai Mansingh on Tuesday night with IPL 2026 hanging on a single result against an already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants. A third straight defeat, at Delhi Capitals on Sunday, has left Ravindra Jadeja's side stuck on 12 points from 12 matches, and they now have to win both their remaining fixtures to stay in the chase for the last open playoff seat.
Jaipur has not been kind to RR this year
The Royals have not won a league game at their own ground in IPL 2026. All three previous outings at Sawai Mansingh have ended in defeat, a number that has quietly dragged their season off course. Yashasvi Jaiswal's form is no help either. He has produced only one score worth talking about across his last five innings, and Jadeja's own fitness has been touched up in the build-up to Tuesday's toss.
LSG eliminated but not finished
Lucknow Super Giants have been out of the playoff conversation for a while, but they are also the last team to put Chennai Super Kings to the sword. Mitchell Marsh's 90 off 38 at Ekana on May 15 carried LSG to a seven-wicket win over CSK and reminded everyone that Rishabh Pant's group can hit a level when nothing rides on the table. With four wins from twelve and a top-four finish long gone, this is exactly the LSG side capable of cracking RR's already brittle confidence at home.
The route from 12 to 16, and why even that may not be enough
Even if Rajasthan win both fixtures and finish on 16 points, the maths will not necessarily settle in their favour. Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders are still in the picture for the final seat, and net run rate will pull rank when teams end up level. RR's home tracks have leaned slightly to spin in this competition, and that should suit Jadeja and Ravi Bishnoi. Whether it suits a top order that has not strung together a sustained run in weeks is the real question facing Kumar Sangakkara.
Toss is set for 7:00pm IST and first ball at 7:30. For an RR side fighting to keep their season open, the order of play may matter as much as the result itself.
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