Former India captain Kris Srikkanth declared defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) "100% favourites" to win the IPL 2026 final when they play against the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
If RCB win the final, they will become the third team to successfully defend their IPL title after CSK in 2011 and MI in 2020. The Royal Challengers had a relatively easier path to the final after topping the points table and winning Qualifier 1 against GT.
GT had to go through the second Qualifier, where they beat RR on Friday in New Chandigarh. Both teams finished with 18 points after winning 9 of their 14 matches, but Rajat Patidar's men had a superior net run rate.
On his YouTube channel, Kris Srikkanth said that the defending champions were favourites and no matter who won, it would be a one-sided match. He also laid out the perfect strategy that GT needed to follow if they wanted to win.
"RCB are 100% outright favorites. It's 65-35 RCB for sure. However, I believe it'll be a one-sided match either way. It won't be a 100% close match. GT's only chance of winning is by getting RCB all out between 160 and 170. Without doing that, they don't have any chance. GT's bowling has to do extraordinarily well for them to win," he said.
He will demolish them- Kris Srikkanth on RCB captain
Srikkanth then made his predictions about the final and said that Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar held the key to both teams' chances. Srikkanth said that if Patidar got going, then GT would not find it easy to stop him or his team. Patidar is coming off a breathtaking innings of 93* from just 33 balls with 9 sixes.
"GT's only chance against Patidar is to target him with the short delivery, and even that, early in his innings. Even this plan won't work in the second half of the innings. It has to be within the first 20 balls of his innings. Once he crosses that, he will demolish the GT spinners," said Srikkanth.
"If Rabada and Siraj don't get early wickets and Rashid Khan has to bowl to Rajat Patidar, he will get smashed to all parts of the ground by Patidar. Prasidh Krishna might be the ideal option for Patidar, but he hasn't been in great form this season and has been impressive only in patches," he added.
Rajat Patidar has been a mainstay in the middle order this year, becoming one of the best batters in that position this year. In 14 matches, he has made 486 runs at an average of 44 and a 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
Before the 92-run demolition of the 2022 champions in Qualifier 1, the teams split honours in the league stage. In Bengaluru, Virat Kohli's 81 and Krunal Pandya's cameo eased the table-toppers through a chase of 205. Sai Sudharsan's century went in vain.
A week later in Ahmedabad, GT pulled level. Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, and Arshad Khan triggered a collapse, and the visitors managed just 155. GT struggled in the chase as well, but got home eventually.
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