table of contents
Former India captain Kris Srikkanth declared defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as “100% favorites” to win the IPL 2026 final, playing against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
If RCB wins the final, they will become the third team to successfully defend their IPL title after CSK in 2011 and MI in 2020. Royal Challengers had a relatively easy path to the finals after topping the points table and winning Qualifier 1 against GT.
GT had to go through the second qualifier, where they defeated RR in New Chandigarh on Friday. Both teams finished with 18 points after winning 9 of their 14 matches, but Rajat Patidar’s team had a better net run rate.
This will be a one-sided match- Kris Srikkanth
Kris Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel that the defending champions are the favorites and no matter who wins, it will be a one-sided match. He also created the exact strategy that GT needs to follow if they want to win.
“RCB are 100% absolute favourites. It is definitely 65-35 RCB. However, I believe it will be a one-sided match either way. It will not be a 100% close match. GT’s only chance to win is to bowl out RCB between 160 and 170. Without doing that, they have no chance. GT’s bowling will have to be exceptionally good to win,” he said.
He will demolish them – Kris Srikkanth on RCB captain
Srikanth then gave his predictions about the final and said that Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Rajat Patidar holds the key to the chances of both the teams. Srikanth said that if Patidar walks away, it will not be easy for GT to stop him or his team. Patidar is playing a breathtaking inning of 93* runs in just 33 balls with the help of 9 sixes.
Srikkanth said, “The only chance GT has against Patidar is to target him with the short ball, and that too early in the innings. Even this plan will not work in the second half of the innings. It has to happen within the first 20 balls of his innings. Once he gets past that, he will demolish the GT spinners.”
He said, “If Rabada and Siraj do not get early wickets and Rashid Khan has to bowl to Rajat Patidar, Patidar will hit him in all parts of the ground. Prasidh Krishna could be the ideal option for Patidar, but he has not been in great form this season and has been impressive only in certain parts.”
Rajat Patidar has been a mainstay in the middle order this year, and has become one of the best batsmen in that position this year. He has scored 486 runs in 14 matches at an average of 44 and strike rate of 197.
Also Read: AB de Villiers backs RCB captain Rajat Patidar to be player of the match in IPL 2026 final
rcb vs gt in ipl 2026
The teams shared honors in the league stage, before defeating the 2022 champions by 92 runs in Qualifier 1. In Bengaluru, Virat Kohli’s 81 and Krunal Pandya’s cameo made the 205-run target easy to chase. Sai Sudarshan’s century went in vain.
A week later in Ahmedabad, GT pulled level. Jason Holder, Rashid Khan and Arshad Khan started the collapse and the visitors could only score 155 runs. The GT also struggled in the chase, but eventually reached home.