Batting stalwart Virat Kohli's wretched form would once again come under scrutiny when Royal Challengers Bangalore face table-toppers Gujarat Titans in an Indian Indian Premier League match in Mumbai on Saturday.
Kohli has scored a mere 128 runs in nine matches for RCB this season with 48 being his highest score. His promotion to opening slot in RCB's previous match after scoring back-to-back ducks too did not yield results as he was out for 9.
Kohli's form has been one of the reasons for the inconsistent show of RCB who are currently at fifth spot with five wins from nine matches.
The Bengaluru-based team, though, is hoping that the former India captain would return to form soon with captain Faf du Plessis backing him after their last match.
However, it is not that RCB do not have the batting depth but the problem for them is that they have not fired as a team on many occasions. Besides, Kohli's struggle, Australian Glenn Maxwell has blown hot and cold so far with just 124 runs from six matches and with one half-century.
Only captain Faf du Plessis, Dinesh Karthik and Shahbaz Ahmed have done well so far and they have to once again take the responsibility of scoring the bulk of runs against a balanced bowling attack of the Titans.
On the other hand, the Titans have been the side to watch this IPL. Whatever they have touched have turned to gold with unlikely match winners emerging every time they were in trouble.
With seven wins from eight matches and on a five-match winning steak, the Titans are the clear favourites to win Saturday's match. If they do that, they will virtually book a play-off berth.
Match Details
Gujarat Titans vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Match No. 43
Venue: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Date & Time: April 30th at 3:30 PM IST
Live Streaming: Star Sports Network, Star Gold and Disney+Hotstar
GT vs RCB Dream 11 Prediction
Wicketkeeper: Dinesh Karthik
Batters: Shubman Gill, Faf du Plessis, David Miller, Virat Kohli
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya (C), Glenn Maxwell (VC)
Bowlers: Alzarri Joseph, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj
Captain: Hardik Pandya
Vice-Captain: Glenn Maxwell
GT vs RCB Probable Playing XI
Gujarat Titans: Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya (c), Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Shami.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj.
