GT vs RCB preview: Bengaluru eye top spot on points table; Gujarat seek momentum; check head-to-head, pitch report, more

Gujarat Titans host Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday, 30 April, at 7:30 PM IST in Match 42 of IPL 2026.

Bengaluru have won 6 out of 8 matches so far. With a Net Run Rate of +1.919, Rajat Patidar’s boys are ranked 2nd on the points table. RCB will reclaim the top position with a win here. They have won 4 out of their last 5 matches.

Gujarat have won 3 of their last 5 matches. With an NRR of -0.475, the Titans are ranked 5th. They have won half of their 8 matches so far.

Their most recent meeting was on 24 April at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB won that match by 5 wickets. GT posted 205/3.

Sai Sudharsan scored a century, and Shubman Gill contributed 32. RCB chased it down, finishing at 206/5. Virat Kohli scored 81, and Devdutt Padikkal made 55.

Virat Kohli is the leading run-scorer in this fixture with 432 runs. He averages over 60 against the Titans. Sai Sudharsan leads for GT with 210 runs.

Mohammed Siraj holds the record for most wickets in this fixture with 8. Shubman Gill holds the highest individual score, an unbeaten 104 scored in 2023. At Ahmedabad, RCB lead 1-0.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Suyash Sharma (Impact Player)

Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are both fully fit and available. Rasikh Salam Dar remains a doubt for this fixture.

Gujarat Titans have no major injury concerns heading into the match. Captain Shubman Gill is fully fit and available for selection. Rashid Khan and Mohammed Siraj are also available.

Jason Holder is expected to retain his place in the XI. He made his Titans debut in the previous match. GT enter this game with a settled and healthy squad.

For GT, Sai Sudharsan is in devastating form. He scored an unbeaten 100 off 58 balls against RCB last week. Captain Shubman Gill leads GT's run charts with 330 runs. He needs just 3 more sixes to reach 100 maximums for the Titans. Jos Buttler needs 4 sixes to complete 200 IPL career sixes.

Mohammed Siraj has taken eight wickets this season at an economy rate of 6.00. Rashid Khan has 166 career IPL wickets and remains a match-winner.

Josh Hazlewood dismissed Sudharsan in their last meeting and will be key on this surface. Kohli needs 49 runs to become the season's top scorer.

Interestingly, teams that lost the toss have won 55% of matches here. The highest team total here is 243/5 by the Punjab Kings in 2025. The highest individual score belongs to Shubman Gill, who hit 129 against the Mumbai Indians in 2023.

The surface at Narendra Modi Stadium generally favours batters. It offers consistent bounce and is an excellent batting track. Pacers can expect some lateral movement and zip during the power play.

Spinners may find a slight grip and turn as the match progresses. The large boundaries reward smart placement and power hitting. The average first-innings score this season is around 178 runs.

Daytime temperatures on April 30 are expected to reach 43 degrees Celsius. By match time, temperatures should ease to between 32 and 34 degrees.

There is zero chance of rain, ensuring an uninterrupted game. Humidity is expected to remain between 35 and 40%.

The dew factor is uncertain. Some analysts expect heavy dew, favouring the chasing team. Others suggest the low dew point of 9 degrees Celsius could make its impact negligible. Captains have historically preferred to bowl first at this venue.

Toss will likely be a crucial factor in tonight's high-stakes encounter in Ahmedabad. RCB will look for the top spot while Gujarat will try to regain the lost momentum.