Having won both their opening games of IPL 2025, table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be hoping to build on to the early momentum when they host the Gujarat Titans in a league match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

The RCB side kicked off their IPL 2025 campaign in style by registering a seven-wicket victory against Kolkata Knight Riders before ending a 17-year jinx at the Chepauk with a 50-run win against Chennai Super Kings in their second match.

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Meanwhile, after a lacklustre start to their tournament, GT quickly returned to winning ways with a 36-run victory over five-time champions Mumbai Indians on Saturday at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Shubman Gill-led side will now hope to extend their winning run.

However, it won’t be an easy task, as RCB, gearing up for their first home game of the season, will be banking on their experienced bowling attack to maintain the momentum, and complete a hat-trick of wins to mark a memorable homecoming.

While the Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch in Bengaluru has traditionally favoured batters, producing multiple run-feasts across the past seasons, thanks to the short boundaries and a quick outfield making it a batter’s paradise, RCB boasts of two seasoned campaigners in Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who have the potential to contain the opposition batters on this surface.

Their ability to bowl tight lines and lengths, coupled with Hazlewood’s ability to extract bounce and Bhuvneshwar’s experience of swinging the new ball, could make them a potent force. The Aussie has been economical, conceding just 5.37 runs per over while Bhuvneshwar, who returned to the side against CSK, has an economy rate of 6.6. Additionally, left-armer Yash Dayal has emerged as a dependable third pace option against a formidable GT opening combo of Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan.

RCB’s spin bowling unit comprising the likes of Krunal Pandya and Suyansh Sharma have also been impressive so far, but it could be a challenge for them at the Chinnaswamy. Similarly, the GT spin duo of Rashid Khan and R Sai Kishore could be taken to the cleaners by the might RCB line-up, with the likes of Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, and Devdutt Padikkal looking in ominous form.

The onus will be on GT’s pace duo of Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, who joined GT from RCB, to apply the brakes early on and ensure that the onslaught on the spinners is limited. Kohli and Salt have already demonstrated their ability to forge substantial partnerships and could be even more dangerous in home territory.

In head-to-head meets, RCB hold a slighter edge after winning three of the five games played against Gujarat Titans. The Titans emerged victorious on two occasions.

The skies in Bengaluru will be partly cloudy on April 2. The chances of rain, however, remain low at six per cent.

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Liam Livingstone, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Lungisani Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee, Yash Dayal.

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Phillips, Nishant Sindhu, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Arshad Khan, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Karim Janat, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gerald Coetzee, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Kulwant Khejroliya, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan.

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