Table toppers Gujarat Titans (GT) take on reeling Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as Faf Du Plessis-led side won the toss and elected to bat first in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at Brabourne Stadium on Saturday (April 30).
As far as Playing XIs are concerned, RCB brought in Mahipal Lomror while Hardik Pandya-led GT play Pradeep Sangwan in place of injured Yash Dayal and Sai Sudarshan came in for Abhinav Manohar.
"We are going to break the trend and have a bat first. Obviously it is a day game, heat is one factor and I find that when you field first the boys are cooked by the time it is our turn to bat. But hopefully the wicket will get little bit slower. Couple of games in the tournament does not make you a bad team. There is still some high class quality players, so keep trusting them and knowing things will change around the corner. With experience you know that the answer does not lie in the nets, it is just clarity in your own mind and calmness. We have a leftie (Lomror) coming in," RCB skipper Du Plessis said after the toss.
"Thank you (on being congratulated for playing his 100th IPL game). To be honest when I went to have a few knocks I thought I have come a long way. 2015 when it all started and today leading the side, proud of myself. We would have liked to bat first as well because of the heat. The wicket won't change much. It is just about how we manage our intensity and don't get overcooked. The boys had a couple of hits and it was all about recovery. We have made two changes, one forced as Yash Dayal has a niggle, Pradeep Sangwan comes in and for Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudarshan comes in," GT captain Hardik Pandya said.
Kohli's form has been a reason for Bangalore's inconsistent show performance this season. RCB are currently in fifth spot with five wins in nine matches. A return to somewhere near his best will massively boost RCB's push for a place in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, in their previous outing against Sunrisers, the Titans were struggling to chase down a stiff target of 196 but Rashid Khan, known more for his leg-spin exploits, alongside proven finisher Rahul Tewatia struck four sixes in the last over to steal the match from their opponents.
Pitch Report
"This is a huge ground; 79 meters one side, 69 on the other and 82 downtown. Plenty of big pockets and there's a lot of wind coming on as well. RCB were blown away last time at this ground by fast bowlers. There was good bounce and seam. Today being a day game there won't be much movement. The spin bowlers are in the game today. It is a good batting track. It hasn't got a lot of rough and has nice covering grass. 203 is the average winning first innings total," Matthew Hayden analyses the Brabourne stadium's pitch.
Royal Challengers Bangalore Playing XI:
Faf du Plessis(c), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik(w), Shahbaz Ahmed, Mahipal Lomror, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood.
Gujarat Titans Playing XI:
Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Hardik Pandya(c), Sai Sudharsan, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Pradeep Sangwan, Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami.
