Shubman Gill's performance in the GT can give a tough time to RCB. In their last encounter, it was a do-or-die situation for RCB but Gill's hundred buried the hope of RCB.
Although Shubman Gill's captaincy has impressed everyone and his batting has been improved with responsibility, the team's balance seems missing this time. The vacant place of Hardik Pandya remains unfilled, and though several players auditioned for the position, they have not been up to the mark. From Vijay Shankar to Shahrukh Khan, only the name has changed, but the disappointment remains. Azmatullah Omarzai is a quality all-rounder and has the potential to be an X factor, but he has not done anything extraordinary yet. Gujarat is missing the fire and confidence they had last year. Shami's absence is one of the reasons why they aren't attacking from the start, and Mohit's form is concerning due to his inconsistency in taking wickets. Despite their decent performance, Gujarat Titans are considered as favorites for playoffs. With only five matches left in the league stages, their fortunes have to change for their own sake and from the Titans' perspective.
Another season, another disappointing performance for RCB. Despite changing their name from Bangalore to Bengaluru, luck hasn't been on their side. The main issue for RCB is that they realize their mistakes only after they have lost the battle. In the first half, they play for the cup, and in the second half, they play for the moral victory. Captain Faf du Plessis hasn't given justice to his reputation and Glenn Maxwell's performances haven't helped either. The greatest trade of IPL history, Cameron Green, hasn't adapted himself in Blue & Black, and Rajat Patidar did well with some good knocks. DK and Lomror also did their part. However, the bowling always flopped, and they bought every big name but failed to crack the code. Virat Kohli does everything except crossing the line. His performances have been compromised, and the pressure is clearly visible through his strike rates. Overall, RCB has failed as a team, and they need to do something to perform like the brand image they possess. The only positive from this season is Will Jacks, who looks promising, aggressive, and like the player of the future. He can serve RCB for many years. This will be a huge test for Virat Kohli, who came under the scanner once again for slowing down post the powerplay against the spinners. He will have to contend with the likes of Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, and Sai Kishore this time.
Probable XI:
Gujarat Titans: Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shubman Gill (C), David Miller, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Warrier [Impact Sub: Sai Sudharsan]
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 [Impact Sub: Swapnil Singh]
Venue Details:
When: April 28 at 19:30 IST
Where: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
What to expect: In a tournament where the par scores are 200+, but Titans get bowled out for just 89 in front of their home crowd in the last game here. The Surface will be different from the last game and expected to be run fest.
Dream 11:
D Karthik (WK)
Faf Du Plessis
Virat Kohli (VC)
Shubman Gill
Sai Sudarshan
Rajat Patidar
Cameron Green
Will Jacks (C)
Rashid Khan
Noor Ahmed
Sai Kishore
