Kotambi Stadium Vadodara Pitch Report For GG Vs RCB WPL Match 1

Kotambi Stadium pitch report [Source: @ShayanAcharya/X.com]

The wait is over as the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 season will kick-off from Friday, February 14 with 5 teams fighting it out for the coveted prize. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is the defending champions and will look to defend their crown against 4 strong teams in the tournament.

Speaking of RCB, they'll participate in the opening match of the season against the Gujarat Giants at the Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara. The stadium will witness two brilliant teams going against each other as Smriti Mandhana's RCB will be aiming to start off the tournament on a winning note against Ash Gardner's Gujarat team. 

Both the teams are strong on paper, but this venue will provide a different challenge altogether and ahead of the contest we look at the surface of the Kotambi Stadium and how it will behave during the contest.

Kotambi Stadium Vadodara recent stats and records

Kotambi Stadium Vadodara: Is it batting or bowling friendly?

It is to be noted that no Women's T20 match has been played at this ground, so all the data has been taken from the ODIs played here. The Kotambi Stadium is a batting paradise and it was evident during the ODIs between India and West Indies, where the batters made a mockery of the bowling lineups.

India once scored 358/5 at this venue and all the three ODIs between the two sides were high scoring. Expect something similar to take place on Friday as both RCB and GG have solid batters and have powerhouses in the team and could easily exploit the flat condition of the surface.

There will be plenty of matches at this venue in WPL 2025, but for the first match, the surface will be flat and gradually it will show wear and tear as the season progresses.

Players to watch out for at Kotambi Stadium Vadodara

Smriti Mandhana

RCB's best batter by a country mile, Smriti Mandhana had a great outing against the West Indies at this venue and will be crucial for RCB's fortunes on Friday. The wicket won't have anything for the bowlers and the opening batter can easily take advantage of the situation and perhaps score a big one with the bat.

Ellyse Perry

The MVP of WPL 2024, RCB will once again hope that Ellyse Perry delivers the goods this season. She is an able all-rounder and is an explosive batter and on a flat surface at the Kotambi Stadium, the wily player could be handy for the defending champions.

Ashleigh Gardner

The captain of the Gujarat Giants and perhaps one of the best cricketers in world cricket at the moment, Ashleigh Gardner is Gujarat's X-factor and their fate against RCB will lie in her hands. She is a 3-D player and can turn out to be a game changer with both bat and ball as the Giants look to start the tournament with a win.

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