Qualifier 1 will be hosted at Dharamsala Stadium. Image Credits- AFP
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be at loggerheads with the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) at Dharamsala on Tuesday evening.
The two teams have finished in first and second place on the IPL 2026 Points Table, respectively. Thus, the losing team in Qualifier 1 between RCB and GT will get one more chance to get through to the finale.
However, before that, both teams will look to stamp their authority at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.
RCB vs GT (or better say Kohli vs Gill) in numbers
Over the years, the RCB vs GT rivalry has been a riveting one to watch out for. Known to be a Virat Kohli vs Shubman Gill clash, it has been much more than that.
In head-to-head meetings, both teams have won 4 games each, with 8 games played. Interestingly, in IPL 2026, both RCB and GT have won apiece in the league stage.
The Royal Challengers won the first league game between the two teams at Bengaluru, while GT won the reverse fixture in Ahmedabad.
Notably, in all RCB vs GT head-to-head records, the chasing teams have won the game on all occasions.
Just to compare King vs Prince in numbers, Gill has much superior stats than Kohli's in the playoffs. The GT captain has notched 475 runs in 11 innings in IPL playoffs, including a century against MI. Meanwhile, the former RCB batter has scored just 357 at an average of 25.50.
However, Kohli has better numbers vs GT - 460 runs in just 8 matches, compared to Gill's 318 runs at 28.91.
Also Read: Kagiso Rabada's Old Comment On Virat Kohli Viral After Travis Head Fight
Who will qualify if RCB vs GT Qualifier 1 gets washed out?
Usually, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) doesn't keep a reserve day for an IPL playoff game, unless it's a final of the tournament. The same schedule has been kept by the Indian board, with no reserve days for Qualifiers and Eliminator.
Even if bad weather or rain washes out the Qualifier 1 between RCB and GT, then the defending champions will progress further, given Bengaluru finished higher on the IPL 2026 Points Table.
Thus, Rajat Patidar's Royal Challengers Bengaluru will reach the IPL 2026 final if RCB vs GT Qualifier 1 is washed out.
According to Accuweather, there is also no possibility of rain, especially during the match hours. However, one can't predict anything especially when it comes to the hills of the Dhauladhar mountain range.
Conclusion: Arjun's take
The Qualifier 1 between RCB and GT will feature two of the most deadly bowling attacks facing off against each other.
If RCB have Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, then Mohammad Siraj and Kagiso Rabada will take the new cherry for GT. If the Titans have Rashid Khan, then Krunal Pandya would flight it for Bengaluru.
Having said that, Gujarat have a frail batting lineup compared to Bengaluru.
