Traditionally, IPL finals were held at the home venue of the previous year's champions, which would have favored the Royal Challengers (RCB). Unfortunately for them, circumstances changed, and now GT holds the home advantage. Despite the old rules not applying to this RCB, which boasts a powerful batting lineup and strong new-ball bowlers, there is a past matchup to consider. RCB was bowled out for 155 by GT in Ahmedabad during the league stage. Additionally, RCB has only won three of their seven away or neutral matches in IPL 2026. However, if their key players step up, those statistics may not matter. In a recent match in Dharamsala, all five top batsmen delivered, contributing to the highest score ever recorded in the playoffs. After going 18 years without a title, RCB could win back-to-back championships this year. Historically, the team that wins Qualifier 1 has gone on to win the title for the last eight IPL seasons. GT's success this season has relied heavily on Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, especially their aggressive bowling during the powerplay. Both bowlers are known for their pace and their ability to exploit the weaknesses of specific batters. They have the capability to change the game early on. GT has a strike rate of 16, the highest among all teams, with an economy of 9.49, which improves to 13.5 at home (economy of 8.72). They are making their third final appearance in five years after achieving four playoff spots in that time. Winning a second title in five years seems quite achievable. Tim David has struggled in three of his last five innings, scoring in single digits and maintaining a strike rate below 100. However, this can be overlooked due to his performance against Punjab Kings, where he went from 2 runs off two balls to finishing with 28 off 12. He just needs to connect with one pitch to hit several out of the park. Jason Holder has been a great addition to the GT squad, allowing them to use their top fast bowlers while also providing flexibility with Rashid Khan. Holder has taken 17 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.54, and the extra bounce he creates has been significant, even on Indian pitches. RCB is likely to bring back Phil Salt if he is fit, but Venkatesh Iyer has done well in his place. The probable lineup for Royal Challengers Bengaluru includes: Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer or Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (captain), Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam, and Jacob Duffy or Suyash Sharma. GT has faced repeated questions about their middle order, which will be scrutinized one last time. They had a poor showing in Qualifier 1 when Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan failed to perform. The probable lineup for Gujarat Titans includes: Shubman Gill (captain), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Pras...
