RCB vs Gujarat Titans Prediction & Match Preview – IPL 2026 Final
Match summary
Royal Challengers Bengaluru face Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final at Ahmedabad on 31 May. Read form, likely XIs, pitch, weather and scores.
Match details
| Match | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans, Final |
|---|---|
| Series | Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Date | 31 May 2026 |
| Start time | 2:00 pm GMT / 7:30 pm local |
| Venue | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Toss pick | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans meet in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday 31 May. RCB, the defending champions, are widely seen as favourites. They reached the final in dominant style, beating GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1.
Gujarat, led by Shubman Gill, had to take the longer route. They bounced back in Qualifier 2 with a seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals, earning a second chance at the title. They also have home conditions in Ahmedabad, and will be expected to put up a serious challenge in front of their supporters.
Even so, Rajat Patidar’s RCB have looked the more complete team this season, with batting, bowling and fielding all in rhythm at the right time. Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Venkatesh Iyer and Tim David form the core of the batting, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Jacob Duffy leading the attack. Gujarat’s main strengths are Sai Sudharsan, Gill and Jos Buttler with the bat, and Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj and Jason Holder with the ball.
The Ahmedabad surface is generally well balanced, with true bounce and a quick outfield that helps batters; T20 totals of 170–200 or more are common. Fast bowlers can find some movement with the new ball, but batting gets easier as the game wears on, and spinners may come in during the middle overs as the pitch slows. The large boundaries reward timing over raw power. Evening dew can help the chasing side.
Hot and dry conditions are forecast, with temperatures around 39–41°C at the start, clear to partly cloudy skies and a very low chance of rain. Humidity may creep up, a light breeze may bring slight relief and the temperature should drop through the night. Some dew could develop in the second innings. Heat is likely to be the main challenge.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 195–210 | – |
| Second innings | 190–205 | – |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
As defending champions who beat Gujarat by 92 runs in Qualifier 1, RCB look the more balanced side despite GT’s home advantage.
Toss pick: Royal Challengers Bengaluru
FAQ
How did the two finalists reach the final?
RCB beat GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1, and GT then beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in Qualifier 2.
Who captains each side?
Rajat Patidar leads Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Shubman Gill leads Gujarat Titans.
Should the winner of the toss bowl first?
With dew expected in the second innings, bowling first is likely to be the preferred option.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Virat Kohli
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Rajat Patidarc
- Jitesh Sharmawk
- Tim David
- Krunal Pandya
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Jacob Duffy
- Josh Hazlewood
- Rasikh Salam Dar
Gujarat Titans
- Sai Sudharsan
- Shubman Gillc
- Jos Buttlerwk
- Nishant Sindhu
- Washington Sundar
- Jason Holder
- Rashid Khan
- R Sai Kishore
- Kagiso Rabada
- Prasidh Krishna
- Mohammed Siraj
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans that we covered.