Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers took aim at Gujarat Titans coach Ashish Nehra’s tactical call in the IPL 2026 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday. After Gujarat lost the early wicket of skipper Shubman Gill, Nehra moved Nishant Sindhu up the order ahead of the in-form Jos Buttler. De Villiers said that while there’s logic in trying to protect Buttler’s wicket in a pressure-packed showpiece, the approach felt “too defensive” to him.
Quick facts
- AB de Villiers criticised Gujarat Titans coach Ashish Nehra’s decision in the IPL 2026 final.
- After Shubman Gill’s early dismissal, Nishant Sindhu was promoted ahead of Jos Buttler.
- De Villiers said the intent was understandable but called it “defensive” and “too defensive”.
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the toss and chose to bowl first.
- RCB made no changes; Gujarat brought in Arshad Khan for R Sai Kishore.
- RCB’s captain said the team is focused on delivering their best on match day.
- Shubman Gill said he would have preferred batting first and referenced pitch movement early.
In his on-air comments, de Villiers explained the mindset behind the plan: avoid taking early risks with Buttler by pushing him back and making the batting unit look deeper. He then added that he personally couldn’t get behind that style of selection, even if the situation demanded caution. “Don’t want to risk Buttler early, pushing him back,” he said, while noting that he had faced similar dilemmas during his own career.
De Villiers framed it as a two-sided decision—one that can be justified even if it doesn’t match his preferences. He stressed that Gujarat’s camp had clearly chosen that route for the evening: “So, there are two sides of the story, and they have decided to go ahead with that tonight. Push Buttler back, make the batting lineup seem a bit deeper.” He wrapped up the critique with emphasis, calling the approach defensive and questioning the logic of it for him.
Toss: RCB opt to bowl
In the final, RCB—who are targeting a second straight title—won the toss and elected to field first against Gujarat. For the championship match, RCB kept the playing XI unchanged. Gujarat, meanwhile, made one swap: Arshad Khan came in for R Sai Kishore.
RCB captain Patidar sounded confident when speaking at the toss, saying the side remains locked in on executing their plans on match day. He also highlighted the importance of staying present rather than getting dragged by the noise around big occasions. Patidar pointed to familiar surroundings at the venue and maintained that the team is aiming to get the job done.
Patidar’s stated message was clear: “We’ll bowl first.” He described the surface as a “pretty good wicket,” adding that he expects it won’t alter drastically. He referenced the momentum and memories from last year, while also urging the group to focus on the controllables as they chase victory in the summit clash.
Gujarat captain: would have batted first
On the other side, Shubman Gill said Gujarat would have chosen to bat first if given the choice. He pointed to the nature of the track and how it can offer assistance early—particularly in the opening overs—when fast bowlers are at their most dangerous.
Gill also linked the decision to the venue’s scale, calling it one of the biggest stadiums in the world, before insisting that Gujarat have only “one chance” in a final. He explained the squad change as well, confirming that Arshad Khan has replaced Sai Kishore in the playing XI.
“Typical wicket, third match we are playing here,” Gill said, outlining that there could be movement for the quicks in the first three overs. With RCB opting to bowl first, Gujarat will now need to turn that early-overs factor into an advantage as they set a target in the IPL 2026 final.
