Gujarat Titans (GT) will field Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Rashid Khan, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) rely on Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Josh Hazlewood in Match 42 of IPL 2026 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 7:30 PM IST.
Currently, RCB sit 2nd with 12 points and can replace PBKS at the top with a win, whereas GT hold 6th place with 8 points after beating CSK in their last game. Although RCB won the reverse fixture at Chinnaswamy by 5 wickets just days ago, GT’s Narendra Modi Stadium record makes this a completely different challenge.
GT Playing 11 Today
Because GT bounced back with a win over CSK after losing to RCB, they will make targeted changes. Accordingly, Arshad Khan comes in to bolster the pace attack, while Prasidh Krishna shifts to the impact player role.
Furthermore, Sai Sudharsan has been exceptional in the last two games, scoring a century against RCB and a crucial knock against CSK. Additionally, Shubman Gill opens alongside Sudharsan, while Jos Buttler at No. 3 adds explosive firepower despite his inconsistency this season.
On the bowling front, Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj lead the pace attack with consistently good spells. Moreover, Rashid Khan controls the middle overs with leg-spin, while Manav Suthar adds left-arm spin depth. However, GT’s persistent middle-order struggles remain their biggest concern, which cost them the reverse fixture at Chinnaswamy.
GT Predicted XI: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Jos Buttler (WK), Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Manav Suthar.
RCB Playing 11 Today
Since RCB are the defending champions and sit 2nd on the table, they arrive with confidence. Consequently, Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal open, since Phil Salt appears to have been dropped from the starting XI. Besides that, Jacob Bethell comes in as the impact player, adding a left-handed batting option.
Furthermore, captain Rajat Patidar continues at No. 3 with a strike rate above 212 this season. Additionally, Tim David provides death-overs firepower, while Jitesh Sharma keeps wickets. Moreover, Romario Shepherd and Krunal Pandya offer all-round balance in the lower order.
In terms of bowling, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar form the best new-ball pair in IPL 2026. Besides that, Rasikh Salam adds raw pace, while Suyash Sharma provides wrist-spin variety. However, RCB have never won at the Narendra Modi Stadium in the IPL, which makes this a daunting away assignment.
RCB Predicted XI: Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam.
Impact Player Picks for Both Sides
GT Impact Sub: Prasidh Krishna
Since Prasidh Krishna holds 11 wickets this season as a former Purple Cap holder, his inclusion as the impact player gives GT a genuine bowling weapon. Specifically, his middle-overs accuracy on the Ahmedabad surface also allows Gill to rotate his pacers more effectively across the innings.
RCB Impact Sub: Jacob Bethell
Similarly, Jacob Bethell offers RCB a left-handed batting option that could exploit GT’s reliance on Rashid Khan’s leg-spin. Because Bethell can bat anywhere from opener to No. 5, his flexibility also gives Patidar multiple tactical options depending on the match situation.
Key Players to Watch in Match 42
Firstly, the battle between Virat Kohli and Rashid Khan will again be the headline duel, since Kohli averages over 70 against GT while Rashid thrives at his home ground. Similarly, Sai Sudharsan versus Josh Hazlewood in the powerplay promises a fascinating contest between the season’s most consistent opener and the best death-overs bowler.
| Player | Team | Role | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sai Sudharsan | GT | Opener | Century vs RCB in Match 34; exceptional last 2 games; GT’s batting backbone |
| Shubman Gill | GT | Captain / Opener | 265+ runs this season; avg 53; 104* vs RCB at Chinnaswamy in 2023 |
| Rashid Khan | GT | Leg-spinner | Home ground advantage; 4 wkts vs RCB all-time; middle-overs specialist |
| Jason Holder | GT | All-rounder | Quickfire cameos at death; adds bowling depth; experienced campaigner |
| Virat Kohli | RCB | Opener | 351 runs vs GT at avg 70+; 81 vs GT in Match 34; IPL’s all-time run-scorer |
| Rajat Patidar | RCB | Captain / Batter | SR 212+ this season; 12 off 8 vs Rashid without dismissal |
| Josh Hazlewood | RCB | Pace Spearhead | Consistent wicket-taker; economy under 8; controls death overs |
Head-to-Head Record: GT vs RCB
Across 7 IPL meetings, RCB now lead 4-3 after winning the reverse fixture at Chinnaswamy in Match 34. Notably, that win broke a 3-3 deadlock and gave RCB their first lead in this rivalry.
| Category | GT | RCB |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 7 | 7 |
| Wins | 3 | 4 |
| Record at Ahmedabad | 2 wins (3 games) | 1 win (3 games) |
| Highest Score | 231 | 206/1 |
| Most Runs | Shubman Gill (274+) | Virat Kohli (351+) |
| Most Wickets | Rashid Khan (4+) | Mohammed Siraj (5) |
Additionally, GT have won 2 of 3 games at the Narendra Modi Stadium against RCB, including Gill’s century in 2023. However, RCB’s Match 34 victory showed they can compete with GT when Kohli and Patidar fire together.
Pitch Report & Weather Forecast
Firstly, the Narendra Modi Stadium pitch is good for batting with an average score around 185-195 in recent seasons. Furthermore, the fast outfield and good bounce help batters, while the square boundaries of 61-67 metres reward power hitters consistently.
Secondly, the Ahmedabad weather forecast shows extreme heat with a high of 41°C during the day, cooling to around 37°C by match time with 35-45% humidity. Consequently, there is no chance of rain, but heavy dew will arrive during the second innings, making bowling very difficult at the death.
Besides that, teams have preferred bowling first at Narendra Modi Stadium during evening matches due to the dew factor. As a result, the captain winning the toss will almost certainly choose to bowl first and chase under the lights.
Match Prediction: Who Wins Today?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter as favourites despite playing away, especially since they have the stronger batting group across all positions. Specifically, RCB’s depth with Kohli, Padikkal, Patidar, Tim David, and Bethell covers every phase, whereas GT rely heavily on their top three.
On the other hand, GT have the home advantage at the world’s largest cricket stadium, where they have won 2 of 3 games against RCB. However, their persistent middle-order issues cost them in Match 34, and if Sudharsan and Gill don’t fire, GT’s batting looks fragile.
As for the toss, the captain winning the flip will bowl first to exploit the dew. Ultimately, RCB are predicted to win this contest and therefore move to the top of the points table, although GT’s home crowd and Rashid’s leg-spin make this a genuine 60-40 contest.
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Final Word
To sum up, the GT vs RCB Match 42 brings the defending champions to the world’s largest cricket stadium for a potential table-topping Thursday night. If Kohli continues his mastery over GT’s bowling, then RCB could claim the No. 1 spot tonight.
Otherwise, Sudharsan’s century form and Rashid’s Motera magic could keep GT alive in the playoff race. Either way, 132,000 fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium will create an atmosphere worthy of a blockbuster.
