Who will win the RCB vs GT match? Check out the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 prediction
After 70 blockbuster matches, the Indian Premier League 2026 edition has finally progressed to the playoffs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan Royals are the teams that got the playoff tickets. In Qualifier 1 of the tournament, the defending champions—Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who finished at the top of the points table this season—will face the second-placed Gujarat Titans in Dharamshala on May 26. The winning team in this match will qualify directly for the final, scheduled for May 31, while the losing team will take on the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 on May 29. In the Eliminator on May 27, SRH will face RR.
These two teams are the most successful teams of the ongoing season. Both teams finished the league stage with 18 points. During the league matches, both teams faced each other twice, and each won once. In the first meeting, RCB won by 5 wickets, while in the second one, GT won by 4 wickets. Both teams want a direct qualification for the finals and avoid featuring in the qualifier 2. A historic rivalry has long existed between these two teams, and once again, fans are eagerly awaiting this match. Both teams are looking balanced, and fans could witness a thriller.
Pitch Report: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
The match will be played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala. The ground is generally considered to be a high-scoring ground, and once again, something similar is expected to happen. This year, a total of 3 matches were held on this ground, with the team batting first winning 1 match, while the team chasing won twice. Both teams can decide to bowl first after winning the toss. If the team bats first, then they will have no other option except to make a huge total on this ground. Royal Challengers Bengaluru have played one match in this venue earlier against Punjab Kings earlier in the season, which they eventually won by 23 runs, while this will be the first match of the season for GT in this venue.
RCB vs GT: Head-to-Head in IPL
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans have faced each other 8 times in IPL history so far, with both teams winning an equal number of matches against each other (4). However, in the last 5 meetings, Rajat Patidar & co. have had an upper hand on Shubman Gill & side with 3-2.
RCB vs SRH: Probable Playing XIIs
Both teams are currently in magnificent form and appear quite balanced. However, Phil Salt's injury remains a cause for concern for RCB; yet, according to reports, Salt is expected to feature in Qualifier 1. If Salt plays, Venkatesh Iyer could once again be seen batting in the middle order, while Romario Shepherd might drop out of the Playing XI. On the other hand, GT is unlikely to make any changes to their Playing XI.
Predicted RCB playing XII
Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar ©, Venketesh Iyer, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam Dar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma
Predicted GT playing XII
Shubman Gill ©, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Nishant Sandhu, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Arshad Khan
Players to watch out for in the RCB vs GT IPL 2026 match
Best batter: Virat Kohli ( Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
Whenever the conversation turns to performing in big matches, Virat Kohli is naturally the very first name that comes to mind. This IPL season, too, runs have been flowing ceaselessly from Kohli's bat. So far this season, across 14 matches, Kohli has amassed 557 runs at an average of 50.64—an impressive tally that includes one century and four half-centuries. In the previous encounter between these two teams, Kohli played a magnificent innings of 81 to guide his team to victory; similarly, in their other clash, he delivered a blistering cameo, scoring 28 off just 13 deliveries. Everyone knows that when Kohli is in form, he possesses not only the mettle to steer his team out of difficult situations but also the capability to win matches single-handedly.
Best bowler: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is seen in his old avatar in IPL 2026. He is currently wearing the Purple Cap and has taken 24 wickets. He bowled brilliantly in both the matches played against GT and kept the opposition batters under pressure. In the first match, he took 1 wicket while giving away just 31 runs in 4 overs, whereas in the second match, he took 3 wickets, conceding 28 runs in 4 overs. His inswingers, cutters, and constant variations while bowling could prove to be a source of trouble for the GT batters.
