Kohli vs Gill, one final spot at stake as RCB and GT gear up for Dharamsala blockbuster

An exciting finish in the line for IPL 2026, with the playoff week set to start with the battle between the teams of Southern India and Western India. Flag bearer of Indian cricket and modern-day leader of the Indian team, the King and Prince will look to put in all their efforts to continue the trophy hunt. Though, whoever loses today is going to get another chance in the qualifier 2. This is RCB’s second consecutive Qualifier 1, last year they defeated PBKS by 8 wickets, chasing down the target of 102 runs with 60 balls to spare.

Both of the teams have emerged as the better side than the last year, GT has done really well with their bowling and has found the right rhythm with the right balance, the addition of inform Jason Holder has allowed them to experiment with the combinations and now they have settled with all of the things.

Also Read | Will Phil Salt open with Virat Kohli? RCB yet to decide before GT clash

On the other hand, RCB will also find themselves in a comfortable zone, the inclusion of Venkatesh Iyer at the top has allowed them to add another foreign bowler to the list. Phil Salt is available for selection and visuals also confirmed that he is practising well before the mega clash, however, he is not likely to make it into the settled XI. Bhuvi at the age of 36, is leading the Purple cup chart with 24 wickets, though Kagiso Rabada is just behind him in terms of economy rate, he has also taken the same wickets as the veteran Indian fast bowler.

What to expect?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have already shown they can win at Dharamsala this season after succeeding while batting first in a day game. But night matches at the venue have largely favoured chasing teams, with both Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians comfortably overhauling 200-plus totals under lights.

Also Read | How IPL franchises can use replacement players for long-term retention plans?

That pattern also mirrors the history between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans, where every previous clash has been won by the team batting second.

On the weather front, players are expected to welcome the cooler conditions in Dharamsala after the intense heat across several parts of North India. While the forecast remains largely pleasant, there is a little possibility of rain around 5 PM, well before the scheduled evening start.

Probable XII

RCB- Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer, Devdutt Paddikal, Rajat Patidar(C), Tim David, Jitesh Sharma(WK), Romario Shephard, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvi, Suyash Sharma, Hazlewood.

Impact Sub- Jacob Duffy/ Rashikh Dar Salam

GT- Shubman Gill(C), Sai Sudharshan, Jos Buttler (WK), Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Nishant Sindhu, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Impact Sub- Rahul Tewatia