NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru may have dominated Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1, but former RCB star AB de Villiers believes the defending champions still have plenty to worry about heading into Sunday’s IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad.RCB and Gujarat Titans will battle for the title at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, with both teams chasing their second IPL crown. While RCB are aiming to become only the third franchise to successfully defend the trophy, GT are looking to add another title to the one they won in 2022.Despite RCB’s commanding 92-run win over Gujarat in Qualifier 1, De Villiers admitted he is nervous about the challenge posed by Shubman Gill’s side, particularly their bowling attack.“So I’m nervous,” AB de Villiers said.“It’s GTs got a lot to be confident about playing in Ahmedabad. The way they’ve played that win the other night, even though the Suryavanshi factor was there, they still came out on top and once again shows you that good bowling attacks tend to come out on top at the end of the day. So I’m worried about that bowling attack in the final, but I think it’s going to be edge of the seat stuff and a fantastic final and hopefully a close one. And for all the fans around the world to enjoy,” De Villiers said during the ESPNcricinfo awards.RCB’s road to the final has been impressive.Under Rajat Patidar’s leadership, the defending champions finished atop the points table with nine wins from 14 league matches. Their campaign featured notable victories over Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans, while they sealed direct qualification for the final with a crushing win over GT in Qualifier 1.The batting unit has once again been led by Virat Kohli, who has amassed 600 runs in 15 matches. Captain Patidar has also played a crucial role, scoring 486 runs and leading from the front throughout the season.
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With the ball, veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has spearheaded the attack with 26 wickets, while youngster Rasikh Salam has emerged as one of the revelations of the tournament with 16 wickets from 11 matches.Gujarat Titans, however, arrive in the final with momentum of their own. After finishing among the top two during the league stage, they bounced back from their Qualifier 1 defeat to beat Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 and book their place in the title clash.While RCB carry the confidence of a dominant win over GT earlier in the playoffs, De Villiers’ concern highlights the threat posed by Gujarat’s bowling unit on their home turf. With two of the season’s best teams set to face off, the stage is perfectly set for a thrilling IPL 2026 final.
