Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull believes the powerplay battle between Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill could decide the outcome of IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. With a direct place in the IPL 2026 final on the line, both teams head into the playoffs carrying strong momentum and confidence. RCB finished at the top of the points table and are chasing back-to-back IPL titles, while Gujarat Titans have impressed throughout the season with their disciplined bowling attack and explosive batting line-up.
Much of the focus ahead of the knockout clash has centred around Kohli and Gill, two of the best batters of the season so far. Kohli has scored 557 runs for RCB, while Gill has been even more dominant with 616 runs for GT. According to Doull, the opening six overs will play a crucial role in determining which side gains early control.
“Whoever wins the powerplay in the first innings will go on to win the match. That is my belief,” Simon Doull said on Star Sports. The former New Zealand pacer explained that both teams possess enough firepower to completely shift momentum within a few overs, making the performances of Kohli and Gill even more significant.
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“One team has Virat Kohli, the other has Shubman Gill. Both are in red-hot form. If the openers can get through the first six overs without much damage and put up 60 or 70 runs, it puts the opposition under immediate pressure,” he added.
Doull also pointed out that playoff cricket often depends on experienced stars delivering under pressure, and he expects the batter who spends more time at the crease to heavily influence the result. Apart from the Kohli-Gill showdown, Doull also shared his thoughts on RCB’s opening combination. Despite Phil Salt returning after recovering from a finger injury, he believes RCB should continue with Venkatesh Iyer alongside Kohli at the top of the order.
According to Simon Doull, bringing back Salt immediately after a three-and-a-half-week break could be risky in a high-pressure playoff game. He stressed that form and rhythm should take precedence over reputation in knockout matches.
“Venkatesh has looked good in the last two games. He played well against SRH and Punjab. He has found a solid rhythm at the top with Kohli,” Simon Doull said.
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While acknowledging Salt’s quality and strong record in T20 cricket, Doull maintained that sticking with the in-form combination would be the safer and smarter choice for RCB heading into one of the biggest matches of the season.
