The top two teams of the league phase are set to light up the IPL final. The Narendra Modi Stadium is set to offer a wave of joy on Sunday night. Two new-gen captains are very much ready to take on in the fierce battle; both Shubman Gill and Rajat Patidar will take the field with added hopes and will try to take on the pressure with their skillset.
Though the trend is not in favour of Rajat Paticar as recent history has not been kind to defending champions’ captains. Since 2023, a pattern has emerged where the captain of the reigning champions has reached consecutive IPL finals but failed to retain the trophy.
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The IPL 2026 finalists have shared an intense rivalry this season, with the scoreline tied at 2-1 in RCB’s favour. In their first meeting in Bengaluru, Sai Sudharsan’s century powered GT to 205, but fifties from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal guided RCB to a comfortable chase.
One last push ª
One ””””” ””Ë””£ Â¥The ultimate prize awaits on the other side Â#TATAIPL | #Final | #TheFinalLeap | #RCBvGT | @RCBTweets | @gujarat_titans pic.twitter.com/PdqvLhyjpA
” IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 31, 2026
GT hit back in Ahmedabad as Jason Holder starred with two wickets and three catches, helping bowl RCB out for 155 before sealing a dominant win. However, RCB delivered a statement performance in Qualifier 1, posting a record 254 in Dharamsala through Rajat Patidar’s unbeaten 93 and crushing GT by 92 runs.
What’s common between RCB and GT this season?
King & Prince at the top – Virat Kohli (600 runs) and Shubman Gill (722 runs) have been their sides’ leading run-scorers, averaging over 40 and striking at 160+, the highest IPL strike rates of their careers.
Pace leaders delivering – Bhuvneshwar Kumar (26 wickets) and Kagiso Rabada (28 wickets) have led the bowling attacks with strike rates below 14, excelling in both the powerplay and death overs.
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Powerplay dominance with the bat – RCB score at 9.75 runs per over in the powerplay, while GT score at 9.06, making both teams among the most aggressive starters this season.
Powerplay success with the ball – Both teams have taken 33 wickets in the first six overs, with nearly identical averages and strike rates.
Fielding efficiency – RCB (78.9%) and GT (77.9%) have been almost inseparable in catching efficiency, underlining their consistency in the field.
