Jaipur, May 9 (IANS) Gujarat Titans all-rounder Rashid Khan said the team is not looking too far ahead to the IPL 2026 playoffs and remains fully focused on maintaining consistency and improving with every game as the tournament enters its decisive phase.

Speaking ahead of GT’s clash against Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday, Rashid also expressed satisfaction with his own bowling form and stressed the importance of trusting his skills against aggressive batters.

The Afghanistan leg-spinner has been a key figure in GT’s bowling attack over the years and said he was pleased with the way he has performed since rejoining the squad this season.

“Absolutely. Since joining the squad, I’ve simply tried to contribute as much as possible to the team's cause, and it feels great,” Rashid said while reflecting on his performances after the Delhi game.

“As far as my landing is concerned, the ball is pitching exactly where I want it to; so, I’m quite happy with my performance so far. I will continue to strive to perform well in all the upcoming matches for the team,” he added.

Gujarat Titans come into the encounter on the back of three consecutive victories and remain firmly in contention for a playoff place. However, Rashid insisted the side is not looking to change its approach despite the winning momentum.

“There’s no need to do anything differently today. We will simply continue doing what we’ve been doing since the very first match, constantly striving to improve upon it,” he said.

“It’s not a case of simply maintaining the status quo just because we’re winning; even when you’re on a winning streak, there are always specific areas where you can aim for further improvement. So, wherever we spot an opportunity - or wherever we’ve executed things well in previous matches - we focus on refining those aspects,” he added.

“Beyond that, we just enjoy our cricket and aim to deliver a strong collective performance as a team,” Rashid said.

The veteran spinner also acknowledged the challenge posed by Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has impressed with his aggressive approach this season.

“It’s definitely a challenge. Given the way he played last year, and the mindset with which he’s approaching the game this season, it can certainly be a bit difficult for a bowler,” Rashid said.

“However, you have to place your trust in your own skills and the hard work you’ve put in. Against a batsman of that caliber, I believe the key is to execute your ‘good balls’ with even greater precision,” he added.

“In my view, the better you bowl, the better the results you will get. That remains my sole focus: to bowl well and consistently hit the right areas,” he further explained.

With the playoff race tightening, Rashid said Gujarat Titans are deliberately avoiding discussions around qualification scenarios and are instead taking one match at a time.

“Not really - that’s still quite a way off. I think our focus right now is simply on our upcoming match,” he said when asked if the team had started defining roles keeping the playoffs in mind.

“The last match for us is on the 21st, and only after that will it become clear who is heading to the playoffs. Since there are still about 10 to 12 days until then, we aren't really dwelling too much on the playoffs - where we might end up, or things of that nature,” he added.

“I believe we will approach this match with the exact same mindset and play the same brand of cricket that we did in our very first game. We won't be thinking too far ahead into the future; our entire focus is on today's match, and our goal is to deliver a strong performance,” Rashid concluded.

--IANS

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