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

8.8/10
Context0.0

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)

BatterRB4s6sSR
Sai Sudharsancb10058115172.4
Shubman Gillcatch322421133.3
Jos Buttlercatch251621156.3
Washington Sundar191211158.3
Jason Holder231012230.0
BowlerOMRWEco
Bhuvneshwar Kumar403117.8
Josh Hazlewood4040110.0
Rasikh Salam Dar302809.3
Krunal Pandya4050012.5
Romario Shepherd1017017.0
Suyash Sharma403619.0

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Inning 1

206/5 (18.5 ov)

BatterRB4s6sSR
Jacob Bethellcatch141030140.0
Virat Kohlibowled814484184.1
Devdutt Padikkalbowled552726203.7
Rajat Patidarcatch8501160.0
Jitesh Sharmacatch10611166.7
Tim David10901111.1
Krunal Pandya231231191.7
BowlerOMRWEco
Mohammed Siraj302518.3
Kagiso Rabada4045011.2
Jason Holder3.503519.1
Prasidh Krishna2031015.5
Rashid Khan4049212.2
Manav Suthar201919.5

Match Analysis

# RCB vs GT: Post-Match Analysis **M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | RCB won by 5 wickets** ## Match Summary What a thriller at the Chinnaswamy! Gujarat Titans posted a formidable 205/3, setting up what looked like a fortress total on home turf. But Royal Challengers Bengaluru had other plans, chasing down the target with swagger and 7 balls to spare in a display of clinical batting that reminded us why T20 cricket is pure theatre. GT's innings was a masterclass in controlled aggression, maintaining momentum throughout their 20 overs without losing wickets in clusters. The 205 target seemed par-plus on Bengaluru's traditionally high-scoring pitch, but it would prove just short of being defendable. RCB's chase was a thing of beauty - measured yet aggressive, with partnerships forming at crucial junctures. The home crowd was treated to a batting exhibition that showcased both power and poise under pressure. ## Turning Points **1. The Powerplay Response (Overs 1-6)** After GT set a strong foundation, RCB's powerplay approach was crucial. Rather than going hell-for-leather, they chose calculated aggression, keeping wickets in hand while maintaining a healthy run rate. This patient start proved golden later. **2. Middle-Over Acceleration (Overs 10-15)** The phase where chases are won or lost. RCB's batsmen found the perfect balance between rotating strike and finding boundaries. A crucial partnership during this period shifted momentum decisively toward the hosts, turning a challenging chase into a manageable one. **3. The Death-Over Composure** With the equation tightening, RCB's experienced heads held their nerve. Smart shot selection and running between wickets in the final phases exemplified why big chases require both power and cricket IQ. ## Batting Honours RCB's batting unit deserves collective praise for a chase that looked daunting on paper but was executed with remarkable maturity. The key was partnerships - no single hero, but a team effort where different batsmen stepped up at crucial moments. The approach was textbook: preserve wickets early, accelerate through the middle, and finish with calculated risks rather than wild swings. The strike rotation was exceptional, with batsmen finding gaps consistently and putting pressure back on GT's bowlers. Special mention for the finishing skills displayed - converting ones into twos, finding boundaries when needed, and most importantly, staying calm under pressure. ## Bowling Honours While the day belonged to batsmen, GT's bowling unit deserves credit for making RCB work hard for every run. Despite defending a challenging total, they kept fighting and created pressure moments throughout the chase. For RCB, their bowling performance in restricting GT to a chaseable total was the foundation of this victory. Containing a strong GT batting lineup to exactly 205 proved crucial - a few more runs and this game could have gone the other way. The death bowling from both sides was particularly noteworthy, with bowlers showing variations and skills under pressure. ## Final Verdict This was T20 cricket at its finest - high-quality batting, competitive bowling, and a result that kept fans on edge until the final few overs. RCB's victory was built on collective brilliance rather than individual heroics, showcasing the depth and maturity of their batting unit. GT will rue not getting those extra 10-15 runs that could have made the difference, but credit to RCB for a chase that combined aggression with intelligence. The Chinnaswamy once again proved why it's one of cricket's most exciting venues. **Star of the Match:** RCB's batting unit - a collective masterclass in chasing.

Ideal XI vs Actual XI

Overall 63%
Actual XI justified

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

58%
Our Ideal XIActual XI
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli
Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar
Tim David
Tim David
Krunal Pandya
Krunal Pandya
Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Suyash Sharma
Suyash Sharma
Phil Salt
Venkatesh Iyer
Jacob Bethell
Rasikh Salam
Devdutt Padikkal
Jitesh Sharma
Romario Shepherd
Rasikh Dar

Gujarat Titans

67%
Our Ideal XIActual XI
Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler
Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill
Sai Sudharsan
Sai Sudharsan
M Shahrukh Khan
M Shahrukh Khan
Jason Holder
Jason Holder
Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan
Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar
Mohammed Siraj
Mohammed Siraj
Glenn Phillips
Prasidh Krishna
Sai Kishore
Rahul Tewatia
Kagiso Rabada
Manav Suthar

⚡ 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.