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Gujarat Titans
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Gujarat Titans will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 42nd match of the Indian Premier League 2026 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Both teams will enter this game after wins in their previous matches.
GT sit 5th on the table with 4 wins and 4 losses and a net run rate of -0.475. RCB hold the 2nd spot with 6 wins and 2 losses and a strong net run rate of 1.101. RCB will come in with better consistency this season. GT will look to improve their position with another win at home.
In head-to-head contests, RCB will lead 3-2 in the last 5 games. All 5 matches have been won by the chasing team. RCB will have already beaten GT earlier this season. The toss will play a key role again in this match.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has taken 14 wickets in 8 matches and picked multiple wickets in back-to-back games, showing a consistent strike rate in the most difficult phases of the game.
The betting tip is...
Bhuvneshwar Kumar - Over 1.5 wickets
61 %
39 %
Gujarat TitansRoyal Challengers BengaluruGT have relied on their top order for runs this season. Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler have handled most of the scoring. Gill has scored 330 runs in 7 matches and stands fifth in the Orange Cap race.
Sudharsan has made 322 runs in 8 innings and has scored fifties in the last two matches. Buttler has 270 runs in 8 innings with 2 fifties. Washington Sundar has 157 runs.
Kagiso Rabada has taken 13 wickets and picked 3/25 against CSK. Prasidh Krishna has taken 12 wickets in 6 matches, but has been expensive and was dropped.
Mohammed Siraj and Rashid Khan had taken 8 wickets each, while Ashok Sharma had 6. Jason Holder, Manav Suthar and Arshad Khan have been used as replacements in recent matches.
Sudharsan, Gill and Rabada are the key players.
Predicted Lineup: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, M Shahrukh Khan, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar/Arshad Khan
RCB made changes at the top in the last match, where Jacob Bethell opened with Virat Kohli instead of Philip Salt. Kohli has scored 325+ runs at a strike rate of 163.18 with 3 fifties.
Salt has scored 204 runs in 5 innings and has scored two half-centuries in the last 3 matches. Rajat Patidar has scored 238 runs at a strike rate of 210.61 and has handled spin well. Tim David has 183 runs at a strike rate of 194.68. Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd have not batted for too long.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has led the bowling with 14 wickets and has taken 3 wickets in each of the last 2 matches. Josh Hazlewood has taken 8 wickets in 4 matches, including 4 in the last game. Krunal Pandya has picked 9 wickets in 8 matches. Rasikh Salam and Suyash Sharma have taken 6 wickets each.
Kohli, Patidar and Bhuvneshwar are the key players.
Predicted Lineup: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt/Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma/Rasikh Salam, Josh Hazlewood
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will enter this match with better balance and form. Their batting has been consistent, but their bowling has made the bigger impact.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has led the attack with 14 wickets in 8 matches and has picked wickets regularly in recent games. His control and economy have kept pressure on batters in the powerplay and death overs.
Gujarat Titans have depended heavily on their top order, which can struggle if early wickets fall. This is where RCBβs bowling can make the difference again.
Bhuvneshwar is likely to strike more than once, given his current rhythm and match conditions. RCB will have the edge if their bowlers deliver early breakthroughs.
