New Delhi: Royal Challengers Bengaluru may have dominated Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1, but former RCB star AB de Villiers He 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 it out for the title at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, with both teams chasing their second IPL crown. While RCB is aiming to become only the third franchise to successfully defend the trophy, GT is looking to add another title to its tally in 2022.Despite RCB’s commanding 92-run win over Gujarat in Qualifier 1, de Villiers admitted that he was worried about the challenge from Shubman Gill, especially his bowling attack.“That’s why I’m nervous,” AB de Villiers said.“GTs have got a lot to be confident about playing in Ahmedabad. The way they won that night, there was a Suryavanshi factor, yet they came out on top and once again show you that at the end of the day a good bowling attack comes out on top. So I’m worried about that bowling attack in the final, but I think it should be in the final set”. And hopefully all the fans around the world will enjoy it,” de Villiers said during the ESPNcricinfo Awards.RCB’s run to the final has been impressive. Led by Rajat Patidar, the defending champions topped the points table with nine wins from 14 league matches. Their campaign has included notable victories against Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Supergiants and Gujarat Titans, while they sealed direct qualification for the finals with an emphatic win over GT in Qualifier 1.The batting unit is once again led by Virat Kohli who has scored 600 runs in 15 matches. Skipper Patidar has also played an important role, scoring 486 runs and leading the front throughout the season.With the ball, veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has led the attack with 26 wickets, while youngster Rashikh Salam has emerged as one of the revelations of the tournament with 16 wickets in 11 matches.Gujarat Titans, however, reached the final with their own momentum. After finishing in the top two during the league stage, they bounced back from their Qualifier 1 defeat to defeat Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 and book their place in the title clash.While RCB are confident 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 the two best teams of the season facing off, the stage is all set for a thrilling IPL 2026 final.
