RCB’s Virat Kohli, during the training session ahead of the IPL 2025 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) vs Gujarat Titans (GT) in Bengaluru on April 01, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K.
On paper in the lead-up to IPL-18, and on the field during the opening two matches, Royal Challengers Bengaluru has given the impression of a champion outfit.
On display was its considerable batting might, power-hitting ability and shrewd bowling skills as it recorded two fantastic victories over defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders and bogey side Chennai Super Kings.
Wednesday (April 1, 2025) will be RCB’s first opportunity to showcase its new, confident self to the Garden City faithful when it welcomes Gujarat Titans to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
What should give RCB confidence is that Phil Salt up top, skipper Rajat Patidar in the middle, and Liam Livingstone and Tim David lower down have displayed serious batting muscle that can potentially take advantage of the small boundaries.
The bowling, led by Josh Hazlewood, seems ready for the arduous task of defending totals at the Chinnaswamy, which otherwise is a graveyard for bowlers.
Titans, however, will offer a good test. Though the Shubman Gill-led side lost the opener to Punjab Kings, it made a good fist of the 244-run chase, eventually reaching 232. In contrast to the previous season, there is a genuine urgency in run-making.
Then, in the 36-run victory over Mumbai Indians, Titans’ bowling nous came to the fore, with speedster Prasidh Krishna leading the way, and ably supported by the wily Rashid Khan and Mohammed Siraj.
There is also the thinking Sai Kishore and the old warhorse Ishant Sharma to round off a capable bowling unit. Will they be able to crash RCB’s early momentum?
Published – April 01, 2025 10:35 pm IST