RCB vs GT First Innings Recap—Livingstone’s Heroics Lift Bengaluru to 169/8

RCB vs GT First Innings: In a high-octane clash at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) posted 169/8 in their 20 overs against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match 14 of IPL 2025. Despite early collapses and relentless bowling from GT, Liam Livingstone’s half-century and Tim David’s late fireworks salvaged a competitive total for the hosts. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the first innings.

Toss and Team Lineups

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Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first, citing dew as a potential factor in the second innings. RCB retained their winning XI from previous matches, while GT made one forced change: all-rounder Arshad Khan replaced Kagiso Rabada, who missed the game due to personal reasons.

RCB Playing XI:
Phil Salt (WK), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.
Impact Subs: Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam.

GT Playing XI:
Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Jos Buttler (WK), Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma.
Impact Subs: Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Phillips.

RCB vs GT Playing XI, Toss Update and Match Preview – IPL 2025

Powerplay Carnage: RCB Stumbles Early

GT’s pace attack dominated the Powerplay, reducing RCB to 38/3 in six overs—the lowest powerplay score of IPL 2025 so far. Mohammed Siraj, playing against his former team, struck twice in quick succession:

Virat Kohli (7 off 6): Arshad Khan drew first blood, with Kohli miscuing a pull to Prasidh Krishna at mid-wicket.
Devdutt Padikkal (4 off 3): Siraj uprooted Padikkal’s off-stump with a seaming delivery.
Phil Salt (14 off 13): Siraj returned to trap Salt lbw, though replays showed the ball narrowly missing leg stump.

Captain Rajat Patidar (12 off 12) fell shortly after, lbw to Ishant Sharma, leaving RCB reeling at 42/4.

Middle Overs: Livingstone and Jitesh Stage a Fightback

Liam Livingstone (54 off 40) and Jitesh Sharma (33 off 21) stabilized the innings with a 52-run partnership. Jitesh unleashed a counterattack, hammering Prasidh Krishna for 17 runs in the ninth over, including a six and two boundaries. However, GT’s spinners struck back:

Jitesh Sharma: Fell to Sai Kishore’s carrom ball, lofting a catch to Rahul Tewatia at long-on.
Krunal Pandya (5 off 5): Kishore struck again, inducing a leading edge for a simple return catch.

At 104/6 in 14.2 overs, RCB’s hopes rested on Livingstone, who capitalized on a dropped catch by Tewatia earlier in his innings.

Death Overs: Livingstone’s Fifty and David’s Cameo

Livingstone shifted gears, plundering 20 runs off Rashid Khan’s final over with three sixes, including a monstrous 78-meter hit over deep mid-wicket. He reached his fifty in 38 balls but fell soon after, edging Siraj to Jos Buttler.

Tim David (32 off 18) then took charge, smashing 16 runs off Prasidh Krishna’s final over—two fours and a six—before being clean-bowled by a pinpoint yorker on the last ball. His cameo lifted RCB to 169/8, with 64 runs scored in the final five overs.

Bowling Highlights

Mohammed Siraj (3/19): The standout performer, dismissing Salt, Padikkal, and Livingstone.
Sai Kishore (2/22): Broke key partnerships with his carrom ball and tight line.
Prasidh Krishna (1/26): Conceded just 10 runs in his first three overs but was expensive in the death.
Rashid Khan (0/54): Uncharacteristically expensive, leaking 20 runs in his final over.

GT’s fielding was mixed, with three dropped catches offsetting their disciplined bowling.

Pitch and Conditions

The Chinnaswamy pitch, with its short boundaries (61–74 meters) and dry surface, initially favored bowlers but eased as the innings progressed. Analysts noted dew could assist chasing teams, justifying Gill’s toss decision.

Conclusion: A Par Total?

RCB’s 169/8 reflects resilience amid top-order failures. While below the venue’s average first-innings score (197), their total sets up a tantalizing chase for GT, who must contend with RCB’s potent pace attack led by Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar.

Key Stats:

Liam Livingstone: 54 (40), 5 sixes.
GT’s Powerplay dominance: 38/3.
Sai Kishore’s economy: 5.5 runs/over.

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