Rajat Patidar won the toss and chose to bowl first as Royal Challengers Bengaluru took on Gujarat Titans at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday. The match also saw a couple of key personnel shifts, with Phil Salt ruled out for RCB through injury and Jason Holder handed a debut outing for GT.
Key takeaways
- Rajat Patidar opted for first use of the pitch, with RCB electing to bowl against Gujarat Titans.
- Phil Salt missed the game for RCB due to injury, with Jacob Bethell replacing him in the XI.
- Jason Holder came into Gujarat Titans’ lineup and made his team debut.
- Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill pointed to the need for early assessment and a strong powerplay start.
- Patidar highlighted that M Chinnaswamy can play well for batting, but suggested the surface may feel tacky early due to limited grass cover.
Patidar’s toss call and RCB’s reshuffle
Patidar, speaking after winning the toss, said he expected the conditions to suit bowlers first and that chasing would offer clearer signals about the final target. He also explained that RCB’s only major change was forced by injury, with Salt unavailable and Bethell coming into the side.
The RCB captain added that the team has been evaluating the wicket and match situation effectively this season. He remarked that the stadium typically offers a good batting surface, but noted the lack of grass could make the pitch slightly tacky in the early stages, affecting how teams approach the first innings.
Gill looks for an even contest and a powerplay platform
Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill said that while teams chasing at this venue have often enjoyed success, he felt the pitch should be fairly balanced. He hoped it would set up a competitive game for GT and stressed that their focus would be on reading the conditions early.
Gill’s message was clear: get going in the powerplay and then keep building. He referenced how similar scenarios can unfold in a large tournament, while also stressing that the team needs to stay aligned on the factors that consistently deliver results for them.
Confirmed playing XIs
Gujarat Titans
- Sai Sudharsan
- Shubman Gill (c)
- Jos Buttler (w)
- Washington Sundar
- Shahrukh Khan
- Jason Holder
- Rahul Tewatia
- Rashid Khan
- Manav Suthar
- Kagiso Rabada
- Mohammed Siraj
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Virat Kohli
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Rajat Patidar (c)
- Jitesh Sharma (w)
- Tim David
- Romario Shepherd
- Krunal Pandya
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Josh Hazlewood
- Suyash Sharma
- Rasikh Salam Dar
