Post-Match Analysis
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans
RCB won by 5 wickets (with 7 balls remaining
Sat, 25 Apr, 2026 · 01:00 am IST · T20
Momentum Chart
PitchIQ MOTM
Sai Sudharsan
Sudharsan's magnificent century (100 off 58 balls) was the foundation of GT's imposing 205/3, featuring 11 fours and 5 sixes at a strike rate of 172.41. His innings single-handedly put GT in a commanding position and nearly won them the match despite RCB's successful chase.
Scorecard
Gujarat Titans Inning 1
205/3 (20 ov)
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sai Sudharsancb | 100 | 58 | 11 | 5 | 172.4 |
| Shubman Gillcatch | 32 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 133.3 |
| Jos Buttlercatch | 25 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 156.3 |
| Washington Sundar | 19 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 158.3 |
| Jason Holder | 23 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 230.0 |
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 4 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 7.8 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 4 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 10.0 |
| Rasikh Salam Dar | 3 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 9.3 |
| Krunal Pandya | 4 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 12.5 |
| Romario Shepherd | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 17.0 |
| Suyash Sharma | 4 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 9.0 |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Inning 1
206/5 (18.5 ov)
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Bethellcatch | 14 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 140.0 |
| Virat Kohlibowled | 81 | 44 | 8 | 4 | 184.1 |
| Devdutt Padikkalbowled | 55 | 27 | 2 | 6 | 203.7 |
| Rajat Patidarcatch | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 160.0 |
| Jitesh Sharmacatch | 10 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 166.7 |
| Tim David | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 111.1 |
| Krunal Pandya | 23 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 191.7 |
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Siraj | 3 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 8.3 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 11.2 |
| Jason Holder | 3.5 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 9.1 |
| Prasidh Krishna | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 15.5 |
| Rashid Khan | 4 | 0 | 49 | 2 | 12.2 |
| Manav Suthar | 2 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 9.5 |
Match Analysis
Ideal XI vs Actual XI
Overall 63%Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Gujarat Titans
⚡ Impact Player
Royal Challengers Bengaluru — Our Rec
Devdutt Padikkal (BAT)
Actual
Jacob Bethell✗ Different
Gujarat Titans — Our Rec
Rahul Tewatia (AR)
Actual
Prasidh Krishna✗ Different
Ideal XI vs Actual XI: RCB's Bold Changes Pay Off in Thriller
Where We Got It Right
Our Gujarat Titans picks looked solid on paper, and several delivered exactly as expected. Jos Buttler was our marquee selection, and he justified every bit of faith with a magnificent 100 off just 58 balls at a strike rate of 172.41 - a knock that single-handedly powered GT to 205/3. Rashid Khan was economical as predicted (2/49 in 4 overs), while Mohammed Siraj chipped in with 1/25 in 3 overs.
For RCB, our core batting spine of Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar delivered the goods when it mattered. Kohli's 81 off 44 balls (SR 184.09) was the foundation of RCB's successful chase, while Patidar's quickfire 55 off 27 (SR 203.7) provided the acceleration. Josh Hazlewood was clinical with 1/31 in 4 overs, proving our bowling selection right.
Where We Got It Wrong
Our biggest miss was Phil Salt for RCB. We expected him to open, but RCB went with Devdutt Padikkal instead. While Padikkal managed only 14 off 10, Salt's explosive reputation might have given RCB an even faster start to their chase of 206.
For Gujarat, dropping Glenn Phillips (score 8.6, excellent form and venue record) proved costly in hindsight. With Buttler doing the heavy lifting, they needed more middle-order firepower - exactly what Phillips specializes in. Prasidh Krishna was another miss; he was actually used as the Impact Player and contributed 1/19 in 2 overs, showing he was very much in the team's plans.
The Surprises
RCB's most inspired surprise was Romario Shepherd, who smashed 23 off 12 balls at a crucial juncture when the chase could have stalled. This power-hitting cameo at No. 6 was exactly what RCB needed in a high-scoring chase. Jitesh Sharma getting the nod ahead of Venkatesh Iyer also made sense in retrospect - his wicket-keeping skills freed up team composition.
GT's decision to include Rahul Tewatia in the main XI rather than as Impact Player was shrewd. His 23 off 10 balls (SR 230) provided the late innings flourish that pushed GT past 200.
Impact Player Call
We recommended Devdutt Padikkal as RCB's Impact Player for extra batting depth, but they used Jacob Bethell instead. However, they cleverly started Padikkal in the main XI. GT ignored our Rahul Tewatia Impact Player suggestion, playing him from the start and using Prasidh Krishna as Impact Player instead. Krishna's economical 1/19 in 2 overs showed this was the right call - bringing in a specialist death bowler when RCB were chasing hard.
The Verdict
This match perfectly illustrates why cricket remains beautifully unpredictable. Despite GT following our Ideal XI more closely (67% vs 58% accuracy), RCB's bold deviations proved superior. Their surprise selections - Shepherd's power-hitting, Jitesh's flexibility, and the clever Impact Player usage - were tactically spot-on for a high-scoring chase.
Our analysis got the star performers right (Buttler, Kohli, Patidar), but RCB's management showed superior game awareness by prioritizing role-specific players over pure form. Sometimes, the best XI on paper isn't the best XI for the match situation.
GT's 205 should have been enough, but RCB's inspired team selection and fearless batting approach clinched a memorable 5-wicket victory with 7 balls to spare.