Shubman Gill vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Few bowlers have enjoyed as much success against Shubman Gill as Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The veteran swing bowler has dismissed the GT captain six times in IPL history and has consistently prevented him from settling at the crease. Gill has faced 79 deliveries from Bhuvneshwar and has been forced to play 41 dot balls. The most recent chapter came in Qualifier 1 at Dharamshala. Bhuvneshwar set Gill up beautifully before cleaning him up with a delivery that nipped back in off the surface. Gill managed just two runs from seven balls before heading back to the pavilion. With a new ball in hand and a final at stake, Bhuvneshwar will once again look to remove GT’s biggest batting threat early.
Rajat Patidar vs Kagiso Rabada
RCB captain Rajat Patidar has enjoyed remarkable success against Kagiso Rabada. In their head-to-head meetings, Patidar has scored 56 runs off just 22 deliveries without being dismissed even once by the South African speedster. The best example came during Qualifier 1 in Dharamshala. Patidar brought up a stunning 21-ball half-century by launching Rabada into the stands. On the very next ball, Rabada bowled a hard length delivery outside off stump, but Patidar stayed deep in his crease and effortlessly punched it over extra cover for another six. Rabada has been one of GT’s biggest match-winners this season, but if Patidar continues to dominate this match-up, RCB could gain a huge advantage in the middle overs.
However, if Kohli survives the new ball and settles in, history suggests RCB become an incredibly difficult side to stop. In a final packed with stars, these five individual battles could ultimately decide who lifts the IPL 2026 trophy in Ahmedabad.
