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Rajat Patidar | RCB captain and Player of the Match: It was a super game for us and the way especially the batsmen have dominated in this game, the way everyone was striking with intent, I think that was good for us. It’s not a clear plan (to go after the GT bowlers), but I think we are ready for it because you have to show some body language that we are coming for you. So I think that was there in every batsman. So we had a chat in the meeting. We have to give a good body language and the attacking mindset. It was a big stage, qualifier 1, and the way we played, the way we dominated in this game, I think that was superb. (On his batting) I think the way of my batting is similar. I think starting, I take some few balls, 8-10 balls to see how the wicket is behaving and what the ball is doing. And after that, I think I have a clear mind that how I have to go about it and I am not worried about the wicket. I always like to put the bowler under pressure. (On the bowling) To be honest, the wicket was not that easy to go under the ball and hit the long sixes because there was very good bounce and the way bowlers executed their plans, bowled more balls on the stumps, I think that helped. The way GT played till now, I think the three main batsmen was top three and we were clear that we have to get them out in the powerplay and hopefully it worked. (On bringing Romario as the Impact Player) No, I was just checking that if we go in the finals and for how Romario will bowl in the middle overs, so that was the plan behind it. Yeah, I think it will be a good recovery and let’s go for the finals.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 92 runs
- RCB post 254/5
- Another MAXIMUM and he goes into the 90s with that. Two balls remaining in the innings
- GT have been really bad in the field. Patidar could have been dismissed here but Buttler has made a meal of that throw
- Patidar starts off with a SIX!
- Rajat Patidar reaches his fifty in style. Pulls that over mid wicket for maximum and notches up the milestone.
- After some clean hitting, RCB have lost Krunal Pandya. He takes the aerial route against Rabada but finds Sai in the deep
- Khejroliya leaks 28 in that one
- Another free hit and another boundary
That’s a massive over. Second no ball now. Khejroliya is struggling and Shubman is getting frustrated now
- After a couple of wickets, RCB get a move on
- Jason Holder gets the big one. Virat Kohli plays that on the stumps. He was trying to pull that away but has been undone for 43
- This time a top edge and the ball has flown for a six over the keeper’s head
- Beautiful from Kohli. Short one and he dispatches that for another boundary
- Elegance from Devdutt Padikkal as he just uses the wrist to perfection and flicks one away for a boundary through the on side
- That’s MASSIVE BREAKTHROUGH for GT as Kagiso Rabada sends Venkatesh Iyer packing. He gives himself room and plays that in the air. Shubman Gill, stationed at the mid off area runs back and takes another brilliant catch. The SKIPPER HAS BEEN BRILLIANT in the field.
- No half measures there from Venky. He drives that one through the mid off region for the third boundary of the over. He is on FIRE!
- Back of the length from Mohammed Siraj and Venkatesh Iyer pushes that through the covers for a boundary on the very first delivery
Playing XIs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Venkatesh Iyer, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar.
Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Kulwant Khejroliya, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 is set for a blockbuster showdown as Gujarat Titans won the toss and opted to bowl first against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Tuesday.
The toss decision continues a fascinating trend in this rivalry, with all eight previous IPL meetings between RCB and GT being won by the chasing side. Conditions in Dharamsala have also heavily favoured teams batting second in recent years, particularly under lights where dew becomes a major factor.
GT skipper Shubman Gill explained the decision at the toss, saying the conditions and expected dew made chasing the ideal option.
“We’re gonna bowl first. It looks like a good wicket, but at this ground particularly there is a bit of dew in the second innings, so it’s always good to have a total on the board and then try to chase it down,” Gill said.
RCB captain Rajat Patidar also admitted the pitch appeared excellent for batting despite losing the toss.
“To be honest, the wicket looks pretty good. It’s pretty hard and will come nicely onto the bat. We’ll try to put a good total on the board and keep them under pressure,” Patidar said.
The surface once again attracted huge praise from experts, with former RCB legend AB de Villiers calling it an “absolute road” and predicting another 220-plus total.
Pitch Conditions Point Towards Run-Fest
Former England spinner Graeme Swann highlighted a few visible cracks on the pitch but felt they were unlikely to assist bowlers significantly. De Villiers dismissed concerns over the surface and backed batters to dominate once again.
Since 2023, six night IPL games have been played in Dharamsala. Teams batting first have successfully defended totals only when scoring above 210, while sides defending 210 or lower have lost every time.
The short boundaries — just 58 metres on one side — combined with the altitude and fast outfield could make this another batting spectacle despite the playoff pressure.
Big Battle Up Front
RCB’s hopes will once again revolve around Virat Kohli and their powerful batting unit, while Gujarat Titans rely heavily on the formidable trio of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler.
Speaking before the game, RCB pacer Josh Hazlewood acknowledged the challenge posed by GT’s top order.
“They rely pretty heavily on the top three. If you bowl poorly, they hurt you big time. But if you can string a couple of dots together and create pressure, that’s key,” Hazlewood said.
Meanwhile, GT speedster Kagiso Rabada described the contest as “fire versus fire” while praising the quality of both batting line-ups.
RCB vs GT, IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 Preview: There is precious little separating Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans this season. In the end, net run rate alone decided who finished on top of the points table. Over the last five years, these two sides have emerged as the most successful franchises in terms of win percentage, establishing themselves as the benchmark teams of the modern IPL era.
Both franchises have tasted title glory in Ahmedabad, both have reached four of the last five playoffs, and their head-to-head rivalry stands perfectly balanced at 4-4, including one win apiece during the league stage this season. Yet remarkably, Tuesday’s clash in Dharamshala will mark their first-ever meeting in an IPL playoff.
If Qualifier 1 is meant to bring together the two best teams of the season, this contest fits the billing perfectly.
RCB have built their campaign around explosive batting depth, flexibility, and relentless firepower. Even late in the innings, they continue to find ways to push totals beyond par, whether through impactful cameos from finishers or lower-order contributions from unlikely sources.
Gujarat Titans, meanwhile, have taken a more structured route. Their batting revolves heavily around the prolific trio of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler. While their dependence on the top order is more pronounced, GT compensate with one of the most disciplined and adaptable bowling attacks in the tournament.
If Dharamshala offers swing under cloudy skies, Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj will become immediate threats. If bounce comes into play, Jason Holder and Prasidh Krishna possess the ability to exploit hard lengths effectively. And if the contest tightens through the middle overs, Rashid Khan remains one of T20 cricket’s most dependable match-winners.
Still, reducing this battle to batting versus bowling would oversimplify the contest.
RCB’s bowling attack has played an equally important role in their rise this season. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood have consistently provided control and breakthroughs with the new ball, while Krunal Pandya’s experience and tactical intelligence have stabilised the middle overs.
Match Details
| Match | RCB vs GT, Qualifier 1 |
| Date | May 26, 2026 |
| Venue | HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST |
What To Expect In Dharamshala?
RCB won the only game played at Dharamshala this season while batting first, but that fixture took place during the day. Under lights, chasing teams have enjoyed greater success at the venue, with both Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians comfortably chasing 200-plus totals recently.
Interestingly, every previous IPL meeting between RCB and GT has also been won by the side batting second.
The weather is expected to remain pleasant, offering much-needed relief from the intense North Indian summer heat. While there remains a slight chance of rain around 5 PM, conditions are expected to improve well before the scheduled start.
Head-To-Head Record
| Teams | Wins |
| RCB | 4 |
| GT | 4 |
Team Watch
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Injuries/Availability:
Jacob Bethell has been ruled out of the playoffs due to a finger injury. Phil Salt, who missed a significant part of the second half of the season, remains under observation.
“We have not decided our playing XI yet,” captain Rajat Patidar said while addressing Salt’s availability.
Key Match-Up:
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has enjoyed tremendous success against Gujarat’s top order in T20 cricket. He has dismissed Jos Buttler nine times and Shubman Gill five times. In their previous meeting this season, he removed all three of GT’s key batters.
Probable XII:
Venkatesh Iyer, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam Dar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma/Jacob Duffy
Gujarat Titans
Injuries/Availability:
No fresh injury concerns reported.
Key Match-Up:
GT’s pace attack targeted Rajat Patidar with short-pitched bowling in their previous encounter, a tactic several teams have since replicated successfully. Expect Gujarat to continue testing the RCB captain with pace through the middle overs.
Probable XII:
Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Nishant Sindhu, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Did You Know?
- The winner of Qualifier 1 has gone on to win the IPL title 12 times, including each of the last eight seasons.
- Virat Kohli averages just 26.40 in IPL playoff matches, with a strike rate of 121.10.
- Venkatesh Iyer has scored a fifty-plus score in each of his last four IPL playoff matches.
- Since 2023, both RCB and GT have identical IPL records — 34 wins and 24 defeats.
What They Said
“You always look at things you could have done better, but over the course of 14 games, I think we have performed really well as a team. It’s important now that we start fresh and take it one game at a time.” — Devdutt Padikkal
“He wants to contribute to the side where he has been valued as a very important player. Rashid Khan’s standards are extremely high, and GT have backed him even during difficult phases.” — Vijay Dahiya
