With over two months of full-throttle cricket now behind them, IPL 2026 has finally reached its climax, and the championship match is set between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans. Both sides powered their way through the league phase to finish inside the top two on the points table, setting up a high-stakes final. Bengaluru will be looking to defend their crown, led by Rajat Patidar and powered by the franchise’s belief that big moments can be delivered on the biggest stage. Gujarat, meanwhile, arrive with their sights fixed on lifting the trophy for a second time, having previously won the title in 2022.
As the final approaches, several individual match-ups could swing momentum at crucial stages. Here are three key battles to keep an eye on:
1. Virat Kohli vs Kagiso Rabada and Jason Holder
Virat Kohli is expected to shoulder the weight of RCB’s batting once again, and his timing will be central to Bengaluru’s hopes. Yet, Gujarat’s pace attack—led by Kagiso Rabada alongside Jason Holder—sets up an intriguing contest. Holder has been responsible for dismissing Kohli four times, while Rabada has managed the same feat on five occasions. Numbers like these may point to a tough challenge, but Kohli will be determined to answer the question with a defining innings.
2. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
For Gujarat, the opening partnership of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan has been a major strength, with both batters regularly building platforms that turn into decisive totals. Their recent form underlined that trend in Qualifier 2, where they put together a commanding 167-run opening stand against Rajasthan Royals. That stand played a key role as Gujarat went on to chase a 215-run target. Still, the duo’s rhythm will face a stern test from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has been operating with sharp consistency. Bhuvneshwar has dismissed Gill six times and Sudharsan seven times so far, making this matchup one of the tournament’s most important early contests.
3. Devdutt Padikkal vs Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan has shown that his control is back, picking up 19 wickets this season as his leg-spin continues to trouble batters. That makes the clash with Devdutt Padikkal particularly significant. Rashid has dismissed Padikkal five times in the past, giving him a clear historical edge over the RCB batter. Padikkal will be looking to blunt that threat early, countering Rashid’s threat with disciplined shot selection and the kind of innings that can tilt a final in Bengaluru’s favour.
