Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the toss and opted to bowl first in the IPL 2026 final against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, a choice that left both captains feeling comfortable about the conditions. RCB leader Rajat Patidar said he expects the pitch to play steadily across the 40 overs, with the ball coming onto the bat nicely, but without meaningful change as the match progresses. “We’ll bowl first. It’s a pretty good wicket. The ball will come nicely on the bat, but to be honest, it will not change in the 40 overs. So we’ll try to get them early as possible.”
Patidar’s call highlighted RCB’s belief in their pursuit game. The defending champions have chased down multiple daunting totals this season and head into the title match with one of the tournament’s most substantial batting groups. Their confidence in batting deep into the innings is set against a Gujarat Titans side that, despite losing the toss, seemed equally prepared for the scenario.
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill acknowledged that if his team had won the toss, they too would have chosen to bat first. He pointed to the fact that this venue can offer early assistance, noting that the opening spell matters. “We would have batted first. Typical wicket, third match we are playing here. There could be some movement for the fast bowlers in the first three overs.” Gill’s comments reflected the shared logic behind the toss outcome: RCB were happy to chase on what they believe will be a consistent batting surface, while GT were content to set a target on a track that has repeatedly supported big scores.
The final is set to be played on Mixed-Soil Pitch No. 6, a wicket that has already hosted high-scoring encounters and is expected to deliver another batting-friendly contest in the title decider. With that in mind, the match is poised to reward both sides’ ability to accelerate at the right moments.
Gill also confirmed a single alteration to Gujarat Titans’ lineup, with Arshad Khan coming in for Sai Kishore. “We’ve got one change. Arshad comes in for Sai.” Meanwhile, Patidar named an unchanged XI for RCB and underlined the need to focus on the present rather than get carried away by last year’s memories at the same ground. “A lot of memories last year, but I think it was in 2025. It’s 2026. We have to do our best to win this match.”
Teams
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI)
- Sai Sudharsan
- Shubman Gill (c)
- Jos Buttler (w)
- Washington Sundar
- Rahul Tewatia
- Nishant Sindhu
- Jason Holder
- Rashid Khan
- Arshad Khan
- Kagiso Rabada
- Mohammed Siraj
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI)
- Virat Kohli
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Rajat Patidar (c)
- Jitesh Sharma (w)
- Tim David
- Krunal Pandya
- Romario Shepherd
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Jacob Duffy
- Josh Hazlewood
- Rasikh Salam Dar
With a batting-friendly wicket, two well-set teams, and captains who appeared satisfied with how the toss played out, the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad is ready to deliver a high-stakes showdown between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans.
