Six days after Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased down 206 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Gujarat Titans face the defending champions again, this time at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday, still searching for answers to persistent problems.
Gujarat Titans' Campaign So Far
GT have four wins and four losses from eight games, but their mid-table position does not fully conceal the imbalance in their campaign. Their top three — Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler — remain their primary source of runs. Sai's century in Bengaluru and his partnership with Gill helped GT post 205/3, but that total proved insufficient as RCB won by five wickets with seven balls to spare.
That result highlighted the pressure on GT's middle order. Washington Sundar has provided some stability, while Jason Holder has been used to add depth, but the finishing roles remain unsettled. Against an RCB attack led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, GT cannot afford another innings built almost entirely around the top order.
RCB's Strong Form
RCB arrive in stronger shape, with six wins from eight matches and momentum from a nine-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals. In that game, Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar shared seven wickets as Delhi were bowled out for 75. If the pair remove Gill, Sudharsan, or Buttler early, GT's middle order will face its toughest test yet.
The other concern for the Titans is their bowling after the Powerplay. Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada have often provided strong starts, but GT have struggled to control the middle and death overs. RCB's batting has been more flexible. Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, and Devdutt Padikkal offer options at the top, while Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, and Krunal Pandya strengthen the middle order.
Head-to-Head Record
- Matches played: 7
- GT won: 3
- RCB won: 4
- No result: 0
Royal Challengers Bengaluru lead the head-to-head 4–3. RCB have won their only match in Ahmedabad against GT. All seven previous encounters between RCB and GT have been won by the team batting second.
Weather and Pitch Conditions
The weather in Ahmedabad is expected to remain clear, with no chances of rain. It will be a warm evening, with temperatures around 32°C at match time. Mild wind gusts of 10 to 15 km/h are predicted. A full, uninterrupted contest is on the cards.
The pitch is expected to favour batters, allowing free stroke play. However, spinners could find some assistance as the game progresses. Winning the toss and opting to chase is likely to be the preferred strategy.
Predicted Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Manav Suthar
RCB: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma
Live Streaming and Broadcast Details
The GT vs RCB clash will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, with the match set to begin at 7:30 PM IST. The game will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on JioHotstar.
Full Squads
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, Vicky Ostwal, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Swapnil Singh, Philip Salt, Nuwan Thushara, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhinandan Singh, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal
Gujarat Titans Squad: Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (w), Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Manav Suthar, Rahul Tewatia, Anuj Rawat, Glenn Phillips, Kulwant Khejroliya, Nishant Sindhu, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Luke Wood, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Sudharsan, Kumar Kushagra, Gurnoor Brar, Ashok Sharma, Connor Esterhuizen
