Blog - Buttler, Siraj hand Titans second win of the season

Mohammed Siraj's fiery 3 for 19 against his former team, backed up by Jos Buttler's unbeaten 73 off 39 balls, helped Gujarat Titans (GT) spoil Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)'s homecoming party and coast to an eight-wicket victory at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Playing against RCB for the first time after seven years with them, Siraj returned to Bengaluru with a point to prove. Bowling with speeds in excess of 140kph, he rattled the batters in the powerplay before also picking a key wicket in the death overs. Despite his economical spell, RCB notched up 169 for 8, riding largely on Liam Livingstone's fifty, and cameos from Jitesh Sharma and Tim David.

With the ball, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were on the mark in the powerplay for RCB. But as the ball got older, the bowling also fizzled away. While Shubman Gill fell cheaply, Sai Sudharsan and Buttler added 75 off just 48 balls to give the chase the impetus. Sherfane Rutherford then came in as an Impact Sub, and added an unbroken 63 run-stand off 32 balls with Buttler, as GT romped home with 13 balls to spare.

This was GT's second win in three games, while RCB were handed their first loss of IPL 2025 after two stellar wins.

Rutherford first tonks Bhuvneshwar for a huge six over deep fine leg before Buttler brings out his famous scoop against Hazlewood and dispatches him over the keeper's head for a six. The next ball, he hauls the bowler miles over deep midwicket before Rutherford seals the second win of the season with a pull over deep backward square leg. GT win by eight wickets and 13 balls to spare. A commanding win, their second on the bounce. It also hands RCB their first loss of the tournament.

Jos Buttler was coming into the IPL under a lot of pressure. He had just quit England's ODI captaincy after his team went down in the Champions Trophy and he did not have a lot of runs under his belt. With Titans, he was coming into a new setup having flourished with Rajasthan Royals. He was also supposed to bat at No. 3. Would he find success?

In just three innings, he's shown that nothing has changed. Buttler started IPL 2025, 54 against Punjab Kings in a losing cause. He then struck 39 against Mumbai Indians, and has come into this third game with gusto. He took his time to settle in. Buttler at one point was on 5 off eight, but he targeted one bowler and just like that, he got into his stride.

He took on Rasikh Salam and then Krunal Pandya to notch up a fifty off just 31 balls to all but seal Titans' second win of the season.

Titans need 29 off 24 balls. Can Bhuvnehswar get RCB back?

It's almost a boundary an over for the duo at this stage. Sai Sudharsan first takes on the left-armer, while Buttler improves his record against Dayal by smashing him past point. The duo then taken on Krunal in a big way. Buttler first parks him over cow corner before Sudharsan smashes Krunal for back-to-back fours. There was a midfield by Kohli at deep midwicket which cost RCB a four. He looks to have hurt his hand, too, but he stays on the ground.

There is a lot of dew on the ground, and looks like there is a ball change, according to the new rules. A dry ball and Hazlewood is brought back. He responds right away with the key wicket of Sudharsan. He was looking for another cheeky lap, but the ball hits the high part of his blade and Jitesh takes a lovely catch running to his right. The partnership, which had raced to 75 off 47 balls has finally been broken. Can RCB find an opening?

Rasikh Salam is the impact sub, replacing Devdutt Padikkal and Titans, after a middling powerplay are keen on targeting the youngster. He attempts a slower ball that is dug in halfway and Sudharsan duly responds by dispatching this through deep midwicket. Buttler then tickles a back of a length ball down leg past the keeper to get the scoreboard moving. Sudharsan cuts Yash Dayal through point before Buttler takes on Rasikh big time.

His lengths are all over the place and Buttler looks to be in a fearsome mood. He first charges down the track and heaves and back of a length ball over midwicket before a miscued top-edge carried all the way over the keeper's head. Another back of a length ball on his hip is helped over deep backward square leg as Buttler collects 18 runs off the ninth over. Just what GT wanted and RCB did not.

The required rate is now less than nine an over

With the pressure building, something just has to give and it is Sai Sudharsan who takes the innovative route. He jumps right across his stumps and scoops Hazlewood over the keeper's head for a six. The next ball he crunches the straightest of straight drives to get the scoreboard moving. Gill then goes after Bhuvneshwar tonking him for a six over long-on but the bowler has the last laugh. Gill looks for a repeat of the six, but the ball skews off his outside edge and goes to Livingstone at deep third who takes a well-judged catch.

Jos Buttler comes in at No. 3. He gets a bit of a leading edge first up but GT have come back reasonably well in the powerplay, despite the wicket.

Pace is something that teams always rely on in the powerplay. Pace scares batters, it makes them uncomfortable, it makes them hop around. But here are two bowlers, who are saying... why the need for speed? Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar rarely hit anything above the 130-132kph mark. Yet, they don’t give the batters anything to work with at all.

Both bowlers are just hitting the lengths and keeping the ball just outside off stump or thereabout and Sudharsan and Gill have to content with only rotating the strike. They are getting just enough movement to make the batters uncomfortable and more importantly, are not giving any room to work with.

Not that Gill and Sudharsan are not trying, but they are not able to get anything away.

The first three overs of GT's chase

From the highs of IPL 2023, Shubman Gill had a disappointing IPL 2024 with his strike rate often in the limelight. It is early days, but Gill seems to have worked on his intent in IPL 2025.

Mohammed Siraj has done his siuuu celebration a number of times at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the last seven years. Most times, it has been met with a roaring response. On Wednesday, he went on his celebratory run twice in the powerplay to pin drop silence.

Having not been retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of IPL 2025, Siraj, now playing for Gujarat Titans had a point to prove. And he did it in some style picking 3 for 19 off his four overs. Despite his economical show, RCB finished with 169 for 8 in their 20 overs, thanks largely to Liam Livingstone’s 40-ball 54 and Tim David and Jitesh Sharma’s cameos.

Shubman Gill had no hesitation in fielding first and his decision was vindicated with both Mohammed Siraj and Arshad Khan working up good speeds. Siraj was driven for a four by Kohli through covers, but Arshad soon snared him with Kohli helping a nonchalant back of a length ball to deep backward square leg.

Siraj, meanwhile, was finding his lengths perfectly and targeting the stumps as he castled Devdutt Padikkal who was looking to go over mid-off. Phil Salt had his moments when he was dropped by Jos Buttler and then had a run out chance missed by Siraj, but his luck ran out soon. He tonked a 95 metre six over deep midwicket but the very next ball had his off pole flattened by a 145.9kph Siraj thunderbolt.

Rajat Patidar was caught plumb in front by Ishant Sharma as RCB slipped to 42 for 4 in 6.2 overs. Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma added a crucial 52-run stand off just 38 balls for the fifth wicket with the latter being the aggressor.

R Sai Kishore then got rid of Jitesh and Krunal in quick succession to silence the hosts again. Livingstone, who was barely striking at 100, took on Rashid, thrashing him for three sixes in an over to provide RCB the much-needed impetus. He had three reprieves in the form of two dropped catches and a missed stumping, but made sure to cash in as he brought up a 39-ball half-century.

RCB smashed 64 runs in their last five overs, with David doing the bulk of the scoring as he fell off the final ball for an 18-ball 32.

He's had his chances, dropped twice and had a missed stumping but he's made sure to graft it out and now is giving RCB a big chance in the death overs. Moreover, he's taken on Rashid Khan, arguably GT's lead spinner.

Livingstone was striking at barely a 100 and then came Rashid's 18th over. There is an appeal first ball, but GT are out of reviews. The ball was going over the stumps, anyway. The next ball Sai Kishore runs in too far from the deep square leg fence and the ball bursts through his hands and goes over the ropes. Livingstone goes over the ropes twice more in the over to hack a fifty off just 39 balls. He falls in Siraj's over but has given RCB a chance.

After getting rid of Jitesh, Sai Kishore now sends back Krunal with a stunning carrom ball. He is particularly chuffed about it as the plan comes to fruition. Bowls it on a length and on the stumps slowing it up. Krunal is beaten all ends up and can only lob a simple catch back to the bowler. The carrom ball is a new arrow in Sai Kishore's quiver.

Here's Deivarayan Muthu on his new skill: "Sai Kishore was pretty vulnerable against left-handers last IPL. He went back and developed the carrom ball during the TNPL. He bowled the carrom ball against Robin Minz last match too. Like Ashwin, he experiments a lot during the local matches. He bowled it during Buchi Babu ahead of Ranji Trophy too."

After Ishant had Patidar trapped plumb in front of the stumps, RCB had slipped to 42 for 4 in the seventh over. So what does Jitesh Sharma do the first ball that he walks out? Attempts a cute paddle fine. Do these batters have no fear these days?

But Jitesh is committed to being aggressive. He starts off with a pull through square leg and then collects two fours and a six off an Ishant Sharma over. That has given RCB the much-needed impetus and the crowd finds its voice again. Livingstone meanwhile is living a charmed life. He is dropped by Tewatia at long-on and then Buttler misses a stumping as well. Despite that, Livingstone is striking at below 100.

Jitesh meanwhile tonks Sai Kishore over covers and then goes after Rashid too but his luck finally runs out. Trying to go after Sai Kishore, he can only get a big top edge that goes straight up. The partnership is broken on 52 off 38 but RCB now have to build again.

He was always coming into the game with a point to prove. Siraj was RCB's highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024 and has been an integral part of the team for seven years. Yet, he wasn't retained. And he's come back to Chinnaswamy in some style. He bowled three overs in the powerplay and with some pace. Operating in the mid-140s, what stood out was Siraj's lengths. According to ESPNcricinfo's data, of the 18 balls he bowled, six of Siraj's deliveries landed on a length off which he picked two wickets. Eight of his deliveries were also short of a good length. But, more importantly, eight of his deliveries were hitting the stumps and he got two wickets from them as well.

Phil Salt has been dropped once by Buttler. Now, he survives a run-out chance as he wanders down the track looking for a run. Siraj, after gathering on his follow-through, collects the ball but can't throw the stumps down at the non-striker's end. Salt has had enough of the prodding and he charges down the track and wallops Siraj for a mighty 105m six over midwicket. That has travelled out of the ground. New balls, please!!

But, Siraj's bouncebackability has stood out throughout his career. The next ball he sends down a 145.9kph thunderbolt and leaves Salt's off pole flattened. It was a fullish ball, starting on middle and off and moving away. Salt tries to muscle this away, misses and his stumps are rattled. Siraj is off on his celebratory run again. What a spell this has been!

RCB have been rattled and how in the powerplay. They are 38 for 3 after six overs.

RCB's powerplay woes:

Oof! Miya bhai is surely working up some steam. He is bowling upwards of 140kph, finding the right lengths and making life very tough for the batters. Local lad Devdutt Padikkal comes in at No. 3 and creams a cover drive first ball for a four. But his joy is short-lived as he charges down the track to Siraj, misses and sees his stumps in a mess. Siraj, who has done the siuuu celebration a number of times at Chinnaswamy Stadium over the years, goes again... this time to pin-drop silence.

Patidar, the captain, is next in and he has a task up his sleeve.

The first ball that Siraj delivers to Salt is a sharp back of a length snorter around chest-high on middle and leg. He swats it away feebly just past square leg. Siraj then bowls a juicy half volley to Kohli who sends it scorching through covers first ball. What a way to get the home crowd going!

Then there's more drama. Salt comes down the track looking to thrash Siraj away, but this is too close to him and he gets a thick edge through to Buttler. Siraj goes on a celebratory run, so does Gill... but they stop as Buttler shells a straightforward chance. Wowza! That is as easy as they come. The ball hit him on the midriff as it turns out.

But, but... it is not all gloom for GT. Arshad Khan comes in and gets the big scalp of Kohli with just his fourth ball. It was a back-of-a-length delivery on his pads and Kohli could only help this to deep backward square leg where local boy Prasidh Krishna takes a simple catch.

Phew! So much has happened and only two overs have been bowled.

The RCB loyalists have got what they were hoping for. Kohli walks out to bat. He is likely to face Siraj in the very first over. Oh, then there is also the Salt-Siraj battle. Remember they went at each other big time a couple of years ago in IPL 2023. Siraj was playing for Delhi Capitals at the time while Siraj was with RCB. Any chance that gets reignited? How will the Siraj vs Kohli battle pan out?

Siraj has the new ball. Salt on strike. Let's go!

Toss Gujarat Titans chose to bowl vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Shubman Gill called correctly and had no hesitation in bowling first in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first home game of the season at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Titans, who are playing their first away game of the season, have won one and lost one match so far. They brought in left-arm fast bowler Arshad Khan in place of Kagiso Rabada, who misses out due to personal reasons. That means Titans only have two overseas players in their bowling XI, with Sherfane Rutherford likely to come in while batting.

"It looks like a good wicket. The conditions don’t change much, so we are looking to bowl first," Gill said at the toss."We are all about reducing our unforced errors and we will try and fine-tune the areas that need some fine-tuning."

Rajat Patidar, the RCB captain, said that he would have bowled first as well, while confirming that RCB are going with an unchanged XI.

"We wanted to bowl first as well," he said. "The surface is pretty hard, will not change much. We will try and keep them under pressure. The way everybody is chipping in gives me confidence. Everyone is looking in a good frame of mind."

RCB are coming into the game with two stellar wins. They began their season with a seven-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders in the tournament opener. Six days later they did something that they hadn’t since 2008 – defeated Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk by a huge 50-run margin. That means that RCB head to their hometown top of the table with a superb NRR of +2.266.

GT, on the other hand, lost their opening match of the season to Punjab Kings by 11 runs, but made up for it by thrashing Mumbai Indians by 36 runs at home.

Gujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Shahrukh Khan, 5 Rahul Tewatia, 6 Arshad Khan, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 R Sai Kishore, 9 Mohammed Siraj, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Ishant Sharma

Impact subs: Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal

Impact subs: Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Dar, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh

Mohammed Siraj, the man RCB fans affectionally call 'Miyaan' or 'DSP', is now with GT. Siraj was RCB's joint-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024 and was with them for seven years. But he is on the other side now. How will he fare against his former team? He had an emotional reunion with Kohli and a number of his former team-mates on the eve of the game. But, Siraj will also have a point to prove after not being retained.

Then there is also the Ishant vs Kohli battle. The two have been friends since the Delhi age-group days and had a fun banter last season when these two teams faced off. Here's Shashank Kishore.

"Ishant Sharma and Virat Kohli walk out arm-in-arm. Both having a long chat, there's some giggle & peels of laughter in between. Swapnil Singh and Liam Livingstone are being watched by Malolan Rangarajan as they bowl in an empty net with bowling coach Omkar Salvi doing keeping duties with a baseball mitt."

Shashank Kishore, who is at the venue, sums it up beautifully.

"As teams practice, a troop of dancers are lining up to perform as has been the tradition to have a mini opening ceremony prior to the first home game at every host city. No prizes for guessing what they're all chanting.

That familiar chant that they belt out even when the team doesn't play here.

Meanwhile, Ashish Nehra still hasn't lost that banana swing. He's been doing a lot of bowling on the side pitch. Washington Sundar bowling in tandem with Rashid Khan. Wonder if that's a sign.

He bowled the longest last night - and even had a mini-contest with Sherfane Rutherford. The rules it appeared was fairly straightforward: if Washy denied him a big hit off the middle, he got a point. From afar, it seemed like a stalemate until a point after which I lost count of who had the wood over the other."