‘I’m worried about…’: AB de Villiers’ big concerns about RCB ahead of IPL 2026 final vs GT

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru may have dominated Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1, but former RCB star AB de Villiers believes the defending champions still have plenty to worry about in Sunday’s IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad.RCB and Gujarat Titans will battle it out for the title at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, with both teams aiming for their second IPL crown. While RCB are looking to become only the third franchise to successfully defend the trophy, GT are looking to add another title to the one they won in 2022.Despite RCB’s 92-run win over Gujarat in Qualifier 1, De Villiers admitted he is nervous about the challenge Shubman Gill poses, especially their bowling attack.“So I’m nervous,” said AB de Villiers.“It’s GTs have to have a lot of faith to play in Ahmedabad. The way they played to win last night, even though there was the Suryavanshi factor, they were still on top and they showed you again that good bowling attacks tend to come out on top at the end of the day. So I’m afraid of the bowling attack in the final, but I think it’s a tight end and I hope it’s the final place. De Villiers said during ESPNcricinfo Awards.RCB’s run to the final was impressive. Led by Rajat Patidar, the defending champions finished top of the points table with nine wins from 14 league matches. Their campaign featured notable wins over Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans, while they sealed direct qualification to the finals with a crushing win over GT in Qualifier 1.The batting unit was once again led by Virat Kohli who amassed 600 runs in 15 matches. Captain Patidar also played a vital role, scoring 486 runs and leading from the front during the season.With the ball, veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has led the charge with 26 wickets, while youngster Rasikh Salam has emerged as one of the revelations of the tournament with 16 wickets from 11 matches.However, Gujarat Titans will reach the final with a momentum of their own. After finishing in the top two during the league stage, they bounced back from their defeat in Qualifier 1 to defeat Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 to secure a place in the title race.While RCB carry confidence from a dominant win over GT earlier in the playoffs, De Villiers’ concern highlights the threat that Gujarat’s bowling unit poses on their home turf. With two of the best teams of the season going head-to-head, the stage is perfectly set for a thrilling IPL 2026 finale.