Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 26 (ANI): In the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Qualifier one clash against Gujarat Titans (GT), two of the defending champions' Madhya Pradesh lads, skipper Rajat Patidar and batting all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, could show up at their most dangerous to seal a direct final qualification for their team.

When RCB takes on GT in Qualifier one, skipper Patidar and Venkatesh, two MP cricket veterans, will be in focus due to their stunning IPL knockout stage records.

In five IPL playoff clashes, Rajat has scored 245 runs at an average of 81.66 and a strike rate of over 172, including a century and a fifty each. His 112* against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2022 eliminator remains one of the finest knocks played by a RCB batter.

Rajat's overall knockout record in T20s are even better when his showings for both RCB and MP are considered. In eight matches and innings, Patidar has scored 420 runs at an average of 105 and a strike rate of 183.4, including a century and three fifties.

The RCB skipper is enjoying his finest IPL season ever despite the leadership pressure, having made 393 runs in 13 innings at an average of 35.72 and a strike rate of 183.64, with four fifties and 32 sixes.

On the other hand, Venkatesh is playing his first IPL knockout match for RCB after serving Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for all these years. In five IPL knockout matches, Venkatesh has produced 234 runs at an average of 78 and a strike rate of over 149, including four half-centuries and a best score of 52*. These four half-centuries have come in succession from 2021-24.

This season, Venkatesh has generated impact everywhere, be it as an 'Impact Player' coming in to protect the wickets from collapsing further, as a middle-order hitter or as an opener, having made 158 runs in four innings at an average of 79.00 and a strike rate of 177.52, with a fifty and best score of 73*.

Will RCB's two domestic veterans guide them to a direct spot in the finals?

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Venkatesh Iyer, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Philip Salt, Abhinandan Singh, Swapnil Singh, Jordan Cox, Kanishk Chouhan, Jacob Duffy, Richard Gleeson, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Mangesh Yadav, Satvik Deswal

Gujarat Titans Squad: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Jos Buttler(w), Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Arshad Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Anuj Rawat, Glenn Phillips, Rahul Tewatia, Kulwant Khejroliya, Kumar Kushagra, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Shahrukh Khan, Ishant Sharma, Luke Wood, Ashok Sharma, Connor Esterhuizen, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar, Jayant Yadav. (ANI)