NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will look to bounce back when they face Gujarat Titans (GT) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, with both teams struggling for consistency in IPL 2026. While RCB remain in the top half with 8 points, GT are close behind with 6, making this clash crucial for playoff positioning.RCB head into the game after a disappointing home loss to Delhi Capitals, where their usually explosive batting failed on a tricky surface. The likes of Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar and Tim David will need to adapt better if conditions remain two-paced. Meanwhile, their bowling unit, led by the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar, has shown resilience but lacked enough runs to defend.Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, are coming off a heavy 99-run defeat to Mumbai Indians, which exposed their batting frailties. While Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler have been reliable, the middle order has struggled, putting pressure on a strong bowling attack featuring Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj.
The pitch has recently slowed down after producing high-scoring games earlier in the season. Pitch No. 6, previously used for the CSK and LSG matches, is set to be used again, and conditions suggest a shift from earlier high-scoring games. Rising daytime temperatures in Bengaluru have impacted the surface, making it slower and more two-paced.After four innings of 200-plus totals, recent first-innings scores have dropped sharply to 146 and 175, indicating batting is no longer straightforward. As a result, teams are likely to prefer chasing, given the changing nature of the pitch.
The weather is expected to remain warm with no rain interruptions. Evening temperatures will hover around 30–33°C, with mild breeze conditions.There is virtually no chance of rain or thunderstorms. Winds from the southeast at around 13 km/h, with gusts up to 39 km/h, could offer slight assistance to bowlers, but overall, uninterrupted play is expected.
RCB: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash SharmaImpact Player: Rasikh SalamGT: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Kumar Kushagra, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, R Sai KishoreImpact Player: Jason Holder
The match will begin at 7:30 PM IST and will be broadcast on Star Sports Network, with live streaming available on JioHotstar.