New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru are heavily expected to win the IPL 2026 final, and only their own mistakes can cause them to lose it.

The IPL 2025 winners have enjoyed a remarkable campaign, finishing at the top of the league table before hammering Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 to secure direct entry into the final. They will now face the Titans once again at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where GT have built a formidable record this season.

While acknowledging Gujarat’s advantage of playing at home, Ashwin feels RCB’s performances throughout the tournament have made them the team to beat.

“The fact that GT are playing at their home ground, and that they’ve dominated there and made it a fortress, is something that’s really going to give them that extra fillip going into the final,” Ashwin told Jio Hotstar.

“For RCB, it doesn’t matter whether they bat or bowl first; it is their final to lose. They are going in as the favourites. Whatever they do, they must not regress or play any less attacking cricket than they have throughout the season,” he added.

Gujarat recovered strongly from their Qualifier 1 defeat by overcoming Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 to book a place in the final. Led by Shubman Gill, they have been one of the most consistent teams of the season and will enjoy strong crowd support in Ahmedabad.

However, Ashwin pointed to the contrasting styles of the two finalists and backed RCB’s aggressive approach.

“The two teams have very contrasting approaches. RCB have been willing to take that extra risk. They have a team with a few fighters in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Krunal Pandya, who have turned up the heat this season,” he said.

Ashwin believes only Gujarat’s familiarity with home conditions stands between Bengaluru and a successful title defence.

“GT’s home ground and their familiarity with those conditions is the only last piece of the puzzle standing between RCB and a second title,” he said.

RCB are aiming to become only the third franchise in IPL history to successfully defend the title, while the Gujarat Titans are chasing their second championship.

–IANS

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