Match 14 of the 2024 Indian Premier League season brings us a clash between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 2, 2025.
For the game, here are our preview and predictions.
Indian Premier League 2025 | Match 14: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans | 19:30 IST, April 2
The Royal Challengers have made a stellar start to their campaign under new captain Rajat Patidar and are sitting pretty at the top of the table after winning their first two games. They will be looking to continue this run as they host the Titans at home.
RCB have been known for their batting firepower since the inaugural IPL season, but it’s their bowlers that have shone in particular in their opening two wins this season. Against the Kolkata Knight Riders, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, and Krunal Pandya put the breaks on the early onslaught, while Hazlewood, Dayal, and the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar proved clinical against the Chennai Super Kings to pick up a record win at the Chepauk.
At the top of their batting lineup, RCB have the explosive Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, and Patidar, with Virat Kohli opening alongside Salt. The batting order has depth as well, with Tim David and Krunal Pandya batting at #7 and #8, respectively, though the likes of Patidar and Jitesh Sharma are relatively inexperienced at the IPL level. Kohli’s inability to start quick, as seen once again in the CSK match, can also be a worrying factor, with Salt having shown that he only has one style of batting.
GT, on the other hand, almost pulled off a miracle chase in their opening game against the Punjab Kings. Their top order of Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler has been doing the heavy lifting with the bat while they have a lethal bowling attack featuring Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, and Rashid Khan, with the veteran quick Ishant Sharma also coming good in their last game against the Mumbai Indians. Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore is also proving to be the perfect foil for Khan, making GT look like a balanced side ticking all the right boxes.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for high-scoring games, and we should be in for another one. Given the Titans’ batting lineup and bowling depth, we give them the edge in this encounter.
Fantasy XI: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood
Venue: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Winners Prediction: Gujarat Titans
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