The IPL 2026 final takes place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 31 May, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru arrive as defending champions, carrying the weight of expectation. RCB enter riding high after destroying GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1, yet overconfidence has buried stronger teams before them. Gujarat Titans, wounded and dangerous, have regrouped with purpose, and RCB must be sharp from ball one to retain their crown.
RCB's top order must resist the temptation to go hard too early against Kagiso Rabada
GT rely on their lethal spin weapon, Rashid Khan, to break partnerships and choke the scoring rate through the middle phase, but the danger actually begins far earlier. GT's pace battery is exceptionally well-suited to Ahmedabad's conditions, capable of extracting pace and bounce to stifle even the most aggressive starts.
RCB's top order must resist the temptation to go hard too early against Kagiso Rabada with the new ball swinging. Rabada has claimed 28 wickets this season and had already dismissed Virat Kohli in the group stage encounter between the two sides, so surrendering wickets in the powerplay by playing reckless strokes could prove catastrophic.
They should not underestimate Rashid Khan
RCB's middle order must attack Rashid Khan safely, rotating the strike without losing wickets to build a match-winning platform for the final stages. Gifting Rashid wickets through brain-fade shots in the middle overs hands GT full control of the match. Rashid Khan on the big Ahmedabad ground is always dangerous, particularly when batters take the aerial route against the turn. Furthermore, getting tied down for three consecutive overs triggers a panic that feeds directly into GT's hands.
Letting Shubman Gill settle at the crease
GT's ability to respond to a big defeat within 48 hours says a great deal about their mental strength, with Gill hitting 104 off 53 balls to anchor the chase in Qualifier 2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has picked up 26 wickets this season, must dismiss GT's key anchors Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan during the powerplay to set the tone early. Allowing Gill to settle on his home ground, where GT have previously beaten RCB in Ahmedabad, invites real trouble. The 3 mistakes RCB must avoid against GT all trace back to discipline, and if Bhuvneshwar strikes early, the path forward for RCB opens significantly.
