It’s quite peculiar that even after being the runners-up of the last edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gujarat Titans are still struggling to find their balanced playing eleven. On the other hand, no matter how many options the Royal Challengers Bengaluru use in the bowling line-up, they keep on getting smoked in all corners of the ground before the GT vs RCB clash.
With four wins in nine games, the hosts are in the seventh position going into the GT vs RCB clash. Bengaluru, on the flip of the coin, keeps on spending time at the bottom of the table, despite their victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). A win in this GT vs RCB encounter will keep the Titans in the hunt for the top-four finish.
IPL 2024: GT vs RCB Playing 11- Match 45
The champions from the 2022 season, Gujarat Titans have used quite a few players so far in this IPL 2024. However, they are still trying to fix their number four and six in the batting order. Because they lacked power in the powerplay, the pressure kept on increasing from the beginning for their middle order.
GT Playing 11:
Shubman Gill has milked 304 runs in this IPL 2024 at an average of under 40 and a strike rate of close to 150. But when it comes to batting in the powerplay, with just two fielders outside the 30-yard circle, Gill’s struggling strike rate of 133.04 isn’t enough to lay down a great platform.
Sai Sudharsan is the fifth highest-run getter of the tournament with 334 runs at a strike rate of under 130 in this IPL 2024. When it comes to batting in the first six overs, the left-hander has a strike rate of just over 130. Even Wriddhiman Saha also bats with the same speed.
Even with a world-class spin attack, led by Rashid Khan, GT has picked up just 17 wickets in the middle overs. That’s the second lowest in this period during the IPL 2024. However, they have performed better in the powerplay with the ball in hand. 18 wickets at an average of 18 means they never allow the opponents to escape with momentum
GT’s line-up vs RCB: Shubman Gill (c), Wriddhiman Saha (wk.), Sai Sudharsan, David Miller, Azmatullah Omarzai, Shahrukh Khan/ Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmed. (Impact Sub: Sandeep Warrier)
RCB Playing XI:
When it comes to batting in the first six overs, Virat Kohli has mastered it. He has nailed 216 runs in this IPL 2024 during the powerplay with a strike rate of 155.40. But his lack of power in the middle overs where he bats at a strike rate of under 130 hurt RCB in a few of the occasions.
Their middle order has also struggled to milk runs in the 7th to 15th over mark. In nine innings, the number three, four, and five of the 2016 runners-up have scored just 537 runs in this IPL 2024 at an average of 24.41. This is the second worst among all the ten teams of this edition.
Also Read: MS Dhoni for T20 World Cup 2024? Former Indian pacer claims CSK veteran is ready
The rise of Dinesh Karthik has worked for them so much. The veteran has collected the most runs (208) in the last five overs of the batting with a strike rate of 228.57.
RCB’s line-up vs GT: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk.), Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammad Siraj, Yash Dayal. (Impact Sub: Swapnil Singh).
The GT vs RCB face-off will take place on April 28, 2024, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
