The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) travel to Ahmedabad to take on the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match 42 of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday, April 30.
Both teams come into the game on the back of victories in their previous tournament outings. Hosts GT secured a comfortable away win against the Chennai Super Kings and are currently fifth in the standings with eight points to their name.
RCB, on the other hand, had an emphatic nine-wicket win against the Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium after bundling out the opposition for just 75 runs in the first innings. The defending champions are second in the standings, having picked up 12 points from eight matches. They are only one point behind table-toppers Punjab Kings.
GT and RCB faced off against each other not too long ago at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, with the Royal Challengers coming out on top by five wickets.
Both teams have their designated Impact Sub players based on whether they are bowling or batting first. One can expect those same players to make an appearance off the bench if not for any drastic measures needed at a particular stage of an innings.
Predicted Impact Players for Gujarat Titans (GT):
Rahul Tewatia: One of GT’s designated Impact Subs whilst chasing a target, Tewatia is well known for his finishing prowess in the death. His IPL strike-rate in 2025 was 167.79.
Anuj Rawat: A former RCB player, Anuj Rawat has been on GT’s bench for a number of matches this season. The wicketkeeper-batter has played 24 times in the IPL, scoring 318 runs along the way.
Sai Kishore: One of GT’s stars with the ball last season, Sai Kishore took 19 wickets in 2025 but has yet to play a game in the current season.
Ashok Sharma: Impressive with his pace, Ashok Sharma has played six times this season, taking as many wickets. He has been on the expensive side, bowling at an economy of 10.85.
Glenn Phillips: Having lost his place to Jason Holder in the playing XI, Glenn Phillips can be seen on the bench, waiting for his chance to take the field whilst GT are bowling.
Predicted Impact Players for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB):
Jacob Bethell: RCB’s designated substitute whilst chasing, Jacob Bethell has opened alongside Virat Kohli in the last two matches. He has been scoring at a strike-rate of 161.90 this season.
Venkatesh Iyer: An experienced IPL campaigner, Venkatesh Iyer has played just once for RCB this season and remains a handy batter who can bat anywhere in the order.
Jordan Cox: Yet another overseas option at RCB disposal, Jordan Cox is waiting for his turn to make his long-awaited IPL debut.
Abhinandan Singh: Abhinandan Singh played three times for RCB this season and has taken as many wickets before losing his spot in the team.
Mangesh Yadav: Bought in the mini auction for INR 5.20 crore, Mangesh Yadav is a highly-rated player from Madhya Pradesh but has yet to make his IPL debut.
Expert Opinion and Final Prediction
- Home Advantage: GT have played three games at the Narendra Modi Stadium, winning just once.
- Recent Form: RCB have won three out of the last five meetings between the two sides, including a five-wicket win earlier this season.
- Balanced Side: Both RCB and GT are inseparable when it comes to their side’s balance. However, the defending champions have a slightly better lower order.
- Prediction: With these factors in their favour, expect a tight game with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru coming out on top.
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