RCB vs GT Preview: Gujarat faces high-flying Bengaluru at their home

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will face Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match No. 14 of the ongoing IPL 2025 at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, April 2. RCB, who are currently at the top of the table, are hoping for a third straight win after impressive victories over Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings, respectively.

The team’s main focus will be on its bowling unit, which has been in great form. Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar can dismantle GT’s powerful batting lineup, which includes the in-form Shubman Gill and B. Sai Sudharsan.

Hazlewood’s bounce and Bhuvneshwar’s swing will be crucial against the opposition, especially on the batter-friendly pitch. With Krunal Pandya leading the spin attack, a lot will depend on how he picks wickets in the middle and stays economical at the same time. RCB batters will be happy to bat on this track as it suits most of their domestic and international players.

GT, on the other hand, is coming off a victory against the Mumbai Indians and will be looking to add another to the tally. Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, who joined GT from RCB, will be important in making early breakthroughs. Virat Kohli will have to be careful against Rabada, considering the number of times the South African pacer has dismissed him. Rashid Khan is another weapon that Shubman Gill will rely on heavily.

On the batting front, GT has a strong top order, but their middle order has been a topic of worry, which they will hope doesn’t get exposed in the coming game.

Pitch Report

The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru is expected to have a flat surface that will play in batters’ benefit. While pacers can get an early swing, they tend to be on the expensive side at the venue. Spinners often struggle due to minimal assistance from the track, with much higher numbers for wickets and strike rates. Dew becomes a factor in the evening, often making chasing the preferred choice.

Probable XIs

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal

Impact Player: Suyash Sharma

Gujarat Titans

Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Impact Player: Mahipal Lomror