Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans Prediction & Match Preview – IPL 2026
Match summary
Our IPL 2026 preview of Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans at the Chinnaswamy Stadium: form, likely XIs, pitch, weather and our pick.
Match details
| Match | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans, 34th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Date | 24 Apr 2026 |
| Start time | 2:00 pm GMT / 7:30 pm local |
| Venue | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Toss pick | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Royal Challengers Bengaluru host Gujarat Titans in the 34th match of IPL 2026. RCB will be frustrated by their last game against Delhi Capitals, where Philip Salt’s 63 off 38 gave them a fast start but they managed only 43 runs from the last 45 balls. With the ball they also could not build pressure after Bhuvneshwar Kumar took three early wickets.
Virat Kohli has 247 runs at a strike rate close to 158 and Salt 204 from five games, while Rajat Patidar has 230 at a strike rate above 210 and Tim David is striking at over 200. The finishing roles of Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd have been quieter, and Jacob Bethell could be considered. Bhuvneshwar leads the bowlers with 10 wickets, with Krunal Pandya on 8 and Rasikh Salam on 5 from three matches.
Gujarat were skittled for 100 in their previous game, with Kagiso Rabada the one positive after taking three wickets. Shubman Gill has 265 runs, Jos Buttler 206 and Sai Sudharsan 135, but the middle order has struggled beyond Washington Sundar. Prasidh Krishna has 12 wickets and Rabada 10. Our preview favours Bengaluru on their flat home surface.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium is one of the most batting-friendly venues in world cricket, with a flat deck, true bounce, short square boundaries and a quick outfield. T20 totals of 180–200 are common. Pacers may find some early movement under lights and spinners some turn as the surface wears, but bowlers need variations to hold batters back. Evening dew can make gripping the ball harder for the side defending.
The evening is forecast to be warm, at about 28–30°C, with moderate humidity and a light breeze. The chance of rain is very low, and the outlook suggests a dry surface with little dew.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 185–205 | – |
| Second innings | 175–195 | – |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
RCB have a strong top order and home conditions, while Gujarat are coming off their heaviest IPL defeat.
Toss pick: Royal Challengers Bengaluru
FAQ
When is Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans?
The 34th match of IPL 2026 is on Friday 24 April 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, starting at 7:30 pm local time.
Who is our pick?
Our preview picks Royal Challengers Bengaluru to win and to take the toss.
What happened to Gujarat in their last game?
They were bowled out for 100 chasing 199, their biggest defeat in IPL history.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Virat Kohli
- Philip Salt
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Rajat Patidarc
- Jitesh Sharmawk
- Tim David
- Romario Shepherd
- Krunal Pandya
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Suyash Sharma
- Josh Hazlewood
Gujarat Titans
- Shubman Gillc
- Sai Sudharsan
- Jos Buttlerwk
- Washington Sundar
- Glenn Phillips
- Shahrukh Khan
- Rashid Khan
- Mohammed Siraj
- Kagiso Rabada
- Prasidh Krishna
- Ashok Sharma