Overview
- The winner of Qualifier 1 advances straight to the IPL final while the loser gets a second chance in Qualifier 2, making this match a decisive first step in the playoffs.
- Gujarat won the toss and elected to field, and in early play on Tuesday Kagiso Rabada removed RCB opener Venkatesh Iyer with a running catch from captain Shubman Gill.
- Dharamsala’s high altitude and evening dew have led to big scores this season and have helped chasing teams, which puts extra emphasis on the new ball and the powerplay for both sides.
- The contest pits RCB’s deep, high-scoring batting unit led by Virat Kohli against GT’s pace-heavy attack and Rashid Khan’s control in the middle overs, with key match-ups including Kohli v Rabada and Gill v Josh Hazlewood.
- Team news could shape tactics: Phil Salt has been declared fit while Jacob Bethell is ruled out, and RCB’s decision to retain pacer Yash Dayal remains a developing off-field story because of ongoing criminal allegations and his absence from cricket since June 2025.