IPL 2022: GT vs RCB Preview – Fired-up Gujarat face off-color Bangalore
The Gujarat Titans will be up against a struggling Royal Challengers Bangalore in Match 43 of IPL 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on April 30. Gujarat would be oozing with confidence heading into this contest after a five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in a last-ball thriller. RCB, on the other hand, have looked off-colour in their last two games against SRH and Rajasthan Royals, and they are in dire need of points.
GT have been the team of the tournament so far, having ticked all the boxes. The top-order seems to have started to fire with Wriddhiman Saha laying a solid foundation with a quickfire 38-ball 68. Skipper Hardik Pandya might have had an off day but the middle-order duo of Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia rose to the occasion and scored the required 22 runs from the final over to ensure that the Titans remained the table-toppers with seven wins from eight matches.
RCB looked good so far before their embarrassing nine-wicket loss to southern rivals Sunrisers Hyderabad where they were skittled out for a paltry 68. RCB followed it up with a 29-run defeat against RR while chasing a manageable 144. While the bowlers have stood up every time, the batting has been a letdown in the last couple of games. Bangalore would need to be cautious of these batting collapses heading into the business end of the league phase.
Predicted XI for Gujarat Titans vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Gujarat Titans
The Gujarat Titans will not be interested in disturbing their winning combination and would be sticking to the same winning XI that helped them in retaining the top spot.
Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya (c), Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Shami
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Rajat Patidar, who had replaced an underfire Anuj Rawat against Rajasthan Royals, could score just a run-a-ball 16 and the team management would not be keen on benching him early. Therefore, skipper Faf du Plessis will yet again open the innings with Virat Kohli.
Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj
