IPL 2026 is now in its final stage. All 70 matches of the league stage of the 19th season have ended. Now the playoff matches will be played from Tuesday, May 26. In this, RCB and Gujarat Titans will face each other first in Qualifier-1. The performance of both the teams has been excellent in the tournament. Here we tell you which five players’ performance in the first qualifier of IPL 2026 will keep everyone’s eyes on.

1- Virat Kohli

RCB’s star batsman Virat Kohli is considered a player of big matches only. Kohli has the power to single-handedly turn the tide of any match. Virat is also in excellent form this season. Kohli has scored 557 runs in 14 matches playing at a strike rate of 163. If Virat is successful in maintaining his form in the first qualifier, then RCB’s path to reach the final can be easy.

2- Sai Sudarshan

In IPL 2026, the maximum runs have come from the bat of Sai Sudarshan only. Along with weaving the innings, Sudarshan can also bat aggressively. The most important thing is that he is scoring runs with consistency and does not let the pressure overwhelm him. Playing at a strike rate of 157, he has scored 638 runs in 14 matches.

3- Shubhman Gill

Gujarat Titans captain Shubhman Gill can also prove to be a big headache for the RCB bowlers in the first qualifier. Gill’s recent form is amazing and he has scored 616 runs this season. The special thing about Shubman’s batting is that he knows the art of putting pressure on the bowlers without taking any risk, which makes him different from other batsmen.

4- Bhuvneshwar Kumar

How RCB performs in the first qualifier will largely depend on Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s quota of 4 overs. Bhuvneshwar has been the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2026. He can single-handedly turn any match with his bowling. If Bhuvneshwar is successful in sending the pair of Sai Sudarshan and Shubman Gill to the pavilion in the powerplay, then the doors to playing the fifth final can easily open for RCB.

5- Mohammad Siraj

The most important thing for Gujarat Titans is that Mohammad Siraj has returned to his form. Siraj can also get good swing in the air on the Dharamshala ground and he can prove to be very lethal if GT bowls first. Even though this season may not have been anything special for Siraj in the beginning, it has been his old habit to perform strongly in big matches.

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