Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has backed Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s form going into the IPL 2026 final, saying their cricket has been exceptional this season. He also believes the Gujarat Titans do not enjoy a true home advantage at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad because, in a final, the BCCI controls the pitch rather than the home franchise.

Gujarat Titans have been excellent at home in IPL 2026, winning their last four matches at the venue. That run also includes a league-stage victory over RCB, which gives Shubman Gill’s side confidence heading into the title clash. However, Sehwag pointed out that knockout matches differ from league games, especially in pitch preparation.

“The kind of cricket that RCB are playing and have been playing has been quite exceptional. In my view, it’s a straight 50-50. This is GT’s home ground, but because it is a final, they cannot make any pitch that they want, so they would not get that advantage,” Virender Sehwag said while speaking on Cricbuzz.

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He added that the title match will be decided more by execution than by conditions. “Since it is a final, it will be BCCI that will prepare the wicket, so it is a level playing field. GT will have to play the kind of cricket they did in Qualifier 2 to get the better of RCB in the final,” he said.

RCB will also draw confidence from their history at the venue. The defending champions lifted their maiden IPL trophy in Ahmedabad last season, and they have a balanced record there overall, with four wins and four defeats since 2021.

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Former India batter Manoj Tiwary, meanwhile, feels GT still have a slight edge because they are more familiar with the conditions. “Because the final is being played in Ahmedabad, GT have a slight advantage for sure. Also, if they played as they played during Qualifier 2, they can even be favorites,” Tiwary said.

With both teams in strong form and very little to separate them, the IPL 2026 final promises a tight contest rather than a one-sided affair.