Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans head into their IPL 2026 meeting in Bengaluru following contrasting-but-deflating defeats in their most recent outings. RCB, the defending champions, were beaten by Delhi Capitals at home, losing by six wickets. Gujarat’s momentum also took a hit, with a heavy 99-run loss at home against Mumbai Indians ending their three-match winning run.
Quick facts
- Match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans (IPL 2026) in Bengaluru
- RCB result before this game: lost to Delhi Capitals by six wickets at home
- GT result before this game: lost to Mumbai Indians by 99 runs at home
- RCB form in points: 8 points from six matches, currently third
- GT form in points: 6 points from six matches, currently seventh
- RCB note: last home game of the season at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
For both sides, the stakes are immediate: a win on Friday keeps the playoff push firmly alive. RCB also have the added motivation of closing out their home schedule with a statement performance at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Even with the setback, RCB remain very much in the hunt for the top positions. They sit in third place in the table, collecting eight points from their first six games. Gujarat, meanwhile, began the season with two straight defeats, before stringing together a run of victories that included a hat-trick of wins. That surge has now been interrupted, with the Mumbai defeat leaving them seventh on six points from six matches.
Five key battles that may decide the match
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Shubman Gill
RCB will look to Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s experience to unsettle Shubman Gill. The veteran seamer has had the better of Gill, removing him four times across 11 innings. Gill has managed only 66 runs from 64 balls against Bhuvneshwar at a strike rate of 103.12, and has struck just one six in those encounters.
Virat Kohli vs Kagiso Rabada
Virat Kohli’s record versus Kagiso Rabada has not been ideal. Kohli has mustered 36 runs in seven innings against the bowler, with Rabada dismissing him three times. Rabada has also kept things tight in terms of boundaries, conceding no sixes in 32 balls faced by Kohli.
Josh Hazlewood vs Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler has enjoyed success against Josh Hazlewood. In their IPL meetings, Buttler’s strike rate sits at 146.87 against the Australian pacer. Across four matchups, Buttler has scored 47 runs off 32 balls, and Hazlewood has taken his wicket just once.
Rajat Patidar vs Rashid Khan
Rajat Patidar’s current form gives RCB a clear middle-overs talking point. The RCB skipper has piled up 230 runs at a strike rate of 212.96 in six innings, making him a key driver of the chase or platform-building. His contest against Rashid Khan will be crucial, with the spinner remaining a significant danger despite a slow start to the season.
Phil Salt vs Mohammed Siraj
GT’s bowling has a specific edge in its history with Phil Salt. Mohammed Siraj has dismissed Salt twice in four IPL encounters. Still, Salt has shown he can turn the matchup on its head—he has scored at 200 strike rate against Siraj, notching 56 runs from 28 balls and clearing the ropes six times. Another big innings from Salt could swing the balance quickly.
