As the IPL season approaches its climax, both Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) find themselves in a precarious situation, needing a win in their upcoming match on Saturday to keep their playoff aspirations alive. With RCB languishing at the bottom of the table with six points and GT not far ahead in eighth place with eight points, both teams are under immense pressure to perform.
The inconsistent performances of Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, both tied at 10 points, have opened a slim window of opportunity for RCB and GT to potentially climb into the middle tier of the standings. However, the path to the playoffs is fraught with challenges, and both teams recognize that their fate hinges on their own performances rather than the failures of others.
RCB, led by Faf du Plessis, have shown signs of resurgence with two consecutive wins. New heroes have emerged in these victories; Will Jacks blasted a century to secure a win against GT in their last encounter, while Cameron Green showcased his all-rounder capabilities with vital contributions against Hyderabad. As they return to their home venue, RCB hopes these key players can replicate their recent success.
At the batting front, Virat Kohli continues to be a cornerstone for RCB, having crossed the 500-run mark this season. The team will be looking to him to maintain his form and contribute significantly in the upcoming games. However, RCB's bowling unit has been a concern, displaying inconsistency across matches. Despite a strong performance against SRH, they struggled in their previous encounter with GT, letting the opposition score 200.
For GT, the season has been a story of missed opportunities and underperformance, particularly evident in their recent defeats to Delhi Capitals and RCB. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan have been the standout performers, amassing over 700 runs between them. However, the rest of the batting lineup has failed to make a significant impact, leaving GT's middle and lower order looking fragile.
The bowling department has similarly struggled, with star spinner Rashid Khan notably underperforming compared to his usual standards. With just eight wickets in 10 matches and an economy rate higher than his career IPL average, Rashid's form is indicative of GT's broader issues with their bowling attack. In the absence of Mohammed Shami, seasoned players like Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma have also failed to contain the run flow, putting additional pressure on an already beleaguered team.
Team News
RCB are unlikely to change their winning XI but Gujarat Titans could make a couple of changes. Mohit Sharma has been very expensive and may make way for Spencer Johnson in the lineup while Vijay Shankar or Darshan Nalkande may take Azmatullah Omarzai's place.
Head-to-head record
4 times these two teams have faced each other, and currently, the record stands at 2-2. One of the two will take the lead at the end of this contest.
Weather Report
After the thundershowers over the last couple of days, Saturday should provide the perfect weather for some cricket at the Chinnaswamy. Temperature is expected to stay in the 27-30°C range, with only 5% chance of rain.
Probable XIs
RCB Probable XI: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Swapnil Singh, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal
GT Probable XI: Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, David Miller, Darshan Nalkande, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Spencer Johnson
Full squads
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal, Suyash Prabhudessai, Anuj Rawat, Himanshu Sharma, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Swapnil Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Reece Topley, Tom Curran, Mayank Dagar, Alzarri Joseph, Manoj Bhandage, Akash Deep, Saurav Chauhan, Rajan Kumar
Gujarat Titans: Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill (c), David Miller, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Warrier, Sai Sudharsan, Sharath BR, Manav Suthar, Vijay Shankar, Darshan Nalkande, Matthew Wade, Umesh Yadav, Kane Williamson, Jayant Yadav, Abhinav Manohar, Joshua Little, Kartik Tyagi, Spencer Johnson, Sushant Mishra
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(With PTI inputs)