Virat Kohli, Gujarat Titans. [Source - AFP]After suffering a setback in their last match, RCB and Gujarat Titans face off in an exciting contest in Match 34 of IPL 2026. Both teams will be eager to bounce back as they meet at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, April 24, with the match scheduled to go live at 7:30 PM IST.RCB vs GT Match Preview- Match 34, IPL 2026The RCB vs GT fixture is often overlooked, but it carries huge significance. Gujarat Titans have been RCB's Achilles' heel, winning 2 of their 3 clashes in Bengaluru. It all began with the crucial 2023 league loss against the Titans that denied RCB playoff qualification.RCB now faces Gujarat Titans in their final home league match of IPL 2026 before moving to Raipur, aiming to settle scores at Chinnaswamy. Even last year, when these two teams met, RCB suffered defeat at home, adding extra motivation for this high-stakes encounter.Coming to this season, RCB has started well, winning 4 of their 6 games and sitting in the top 4. Gujarat Titans, however, are in the bottom half with 3 wins in six games after a heavy loss against MI. Both teams will look to bounce back, with RCB eager to assert dominance at home.Kohli’s Long Stays Unlock RCB's Batting FirepowerRCB suffered a rare slip with the bat in their last defeat to Delhi Capitals, managing just 27 runs in the last 24 balls of their innings. This resulted in a death over strike-rate of just 112.5, a stark contrast to their usual blistering 234.72 strike-rate in the death overs up until that point. This highlights a clear pattern in RCB's batting success, not only this season but dating back to last year that for RCB's batting to perform at their best and win the games Virat Kohli needs to bat longer at the top of the order.Statistically, when Kohli faces 30+ balls, RCB has won 13 out of 15 times since IPL 2025, which is a win percentage of 86.67%. In contrast, when Kohli plays fewer than 30 balls, RCB has lost 6 out of 6 games since 2025, a perfect 0% win rate. This pattern is evident from RCB’s two losses this season as well, including their recent defeat to Delhi Capitals, where Kohli was dismissed for 19 off 13 balls and the RCB's batting failed to perform to its best. Also Read: RCB Vs GT Dream11 Prediction Today Match 34, IPL 2026 Fantasy Cricket Tips, Dream11 Team TodayRabada Drives Gujarat Titans’ Fresh Success in Powerplay BowlingGujarat Titans took just 1 wicket in the powerplay during the first three games, completely contrast to their 8 wickets in the next 3 matches at an impressive 7.94 economy rate with Kagiso Rabada leading the charge with 7 wickets inside the first 6 overs in IPL 2026.Virat Kohli has a strong record against Gujarat Titans, with an 87.5 average, 1 century, and 3 half-centuries in 6 innings, making him a prime target for Rabada. Dismissing Kohli early would be key to disrupting RCB’s batting as mentioned before.If Rabada and co. get Kohli early, GT's middle-overs attack, led by Prasidh Krishna (10 wickets at a 9.60 strike rate), has been exceptional in IPL 2026. Krishna’s preferred length have troubled batters at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium this season, setting up him as another key player to watch out.Key StatsNobody has taken more powerplay wickets than Kagiso Rabada in IPL 2026 - 7.Virat Kohli vs Kagiso Rabada in IPL - 3 dismissals, 36 runs at 112.5 strike-rate.It is 3-3 in head-to-head record between RCB and Gujarat Titans.GT has won 2 of their 3 matches vs RCB at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.GT's top-order has scored 66.08 % of their total runs in IPL 2026.RCB's middle-order has been striking at 175, highest by any IPL side this season.On the other hand, GT's middle-order has been poor, having the worst average in IPL 2026 - 20.57.RCB has been the second best six-hitting side in IPL 2026 with 69 sixes at 9.68 balls per six ratio.GT, on the other hand has the lowest number of sixes in IPL 2026 - 34 sixes and at 20.23 balls per six ratio.GT's spin attack has been the most economical in IPL 2026 so far - 8.09 rpo.RCB, on the other hand has been scoring at 10.36 runs per over, second best against spin this season.Rajat Patidar has scored 205 runs at 222.83 strike-rate in middle-overs this season GT has suffered the highest numbers of dismissals against spin this season - 16 dismissals at 25.5 average.Krunal Pandya is joint second highest wicket-taker in 7-16 overs - 8 wickets.Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 5 wickets at 8.11 economy rate in death overs this season.Possible ChangesJason Holder, Kumar Kushagra In for GTGiven Gujarat Titans' middle-order struggles, they may bolster it by including Kumar Kushagra and Jason Holder in the playing XI against RCB. Both additions bring stability and flexibility, strengthening the team’s chances in crucial phases.Will Jacob Bethell play for RCB vs GT?There’s been talk around Jacob Bethell not getting a chance for RCB this season. While tempting, given RCB’s successful combination so far, it seems unlikely that Bethell will feature in their playing XI against GT.What To Expect?This RCB vs GT is likely to be another game to be decided in the powerplay. Both teams have high-quality pace attacks, and the batting side must ensure they do not lose more than one wicket in the first six overs. The conditions will favor batting as the innings progresses under the lights.RCB, with their firepower, will start as favorites, particularly if they reach the middle-overs without early setbacks. It is expected to be a high-scoring encounter, and posting 230+ while batting first should be the ideal strategy. Chasing won’t be impossible but will require precision until an easy cakewalk of 200-run target. Also Read: Jacob Bethell Told To Leave IPL 2026 Amidst RCB Snub
