Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl first in the high-stakes IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Tuesday. The stakes are clear: the winner advances straight to the IPL 2026 final, while the team that falls short gets another chance in Qualifier 2 by taking on the winner of the Eliminator.
Quick facts
- Match: IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 — Gujarat Titans vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Venue: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala
- Toss result: Gujarat Titans won the toss and elected to field
- Path to final: Qualifier 1 winner goes directly to the IPL 2026 final
- Second chance: Qualifier 1 loser plays Qualifier 2 vs the Eliminator winner
- GT change: Kulwant Khejroliya replaces Arshad Khan in the playing XI
- RCB change: Jacob Duffy comes in as part of the playing XI adjustments
Gill said the decision to bowl first was shaped by the nature of the pitch and the conditions expected later in the innings. He pointed out that dew can come into play during the second half of play at this ground, making it important to post a defendable score rather than chase with pressure.
“We’re going to bowl first,” Gill said at the toss. He added that the match could come down to simplifying the contest—building the right target and removing uncertainty from the equation—while highlighting that Gujarat have been playing with strong momentum heading into knockout cricket.
Gill also referenced his familiarity with Dharamsala, noting he has spent time there across youth cricket age-groups before. He described the venue as one of the prettiest grounds, and reiterated that Gujarat’s only alteration is the inclusion of Kulwant Khejroliya for Arshad Khan.
RCB’s approach
On the other side, Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar backed the surface as a good batting wicket, suggesting it should stay fairly consistent over the 40-over contest. He stressed that Bengaluru’s plan is to set a strong total and keep Gujarat under sustained pressure, rather than getting drawn into the opposition’s game plan.
Patidar said winning Qualifier 1 would be a clean route to the final, but insisted the team would focus on the task in front of them. He also framed Bengaluru’s mindset as prioritising their own strengths—“focusing more on the strength, rather than focusing more on the opposition”—as the knockout stage demands clarity.
He further described the wicket conditions, saying there is little grass coverage and that the pitch should suit batting. With that, he signalled Bengaluru’s intent to play positively and aim for control through a well-paced innings.
Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (w), Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Kulwant Khejroliya, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Venkatesh Iyer, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar.
Impact substitutes
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Impact subs: Romario Shepherd, Suyash Sharma, Kanishk Chouhan, Abhinandan Singh, Jordan Cox.
Gujarat Titans Impact subs: Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra, Sai Kishore.
The match promises a decisive duel in Dharamsala, with both captains leaning on pitch-reading and role clarity as the race for the IPL 2026 final enters its most unforgiving phase.
