Shubman Gill wore a smile during the post-match presentation, but the disappointment was unmistakable as he walked up to the podium. As Gujarat Titans captain, Gill’s tournament ended with his team falling short in the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad, losing by five wickets.
Gill’s verdict: close totals and the price of early momentum
In his candid assessment, Gill avoided excuses and focused on the margin of error. He suggested that a score in the 180–190 range would have given the bowling unit a far better chance to defend.
- Gill said that reaching around 180 or 190 would likely have made the contest “a good match,” giving the bowlers a defendable target.
- He also pointed to the way the innings swung after early wickets, arguing that the team lost momentum in the middle overs.
How Gujarat Titans set up the final
After Rajat Patidar won the toss and chose to bat, Gujarat Titans got off to a brutal start. Openers Sai Sudharsan and Gill departed early, and the pressure only intensified.
- Sai Sudharsan scored 12 before falling early.
- Gill made 10 and was also dismissed promptly.
- No. 3 batter Nishant Sindhu managed 20 before his exit.
- Jos Buttler contributed 19 but failed to convert his start into a bigger score.
Washington Sundar then provided the only meaningful resistance, staying unbeaten on 50 off 37 balls. Thanks to that late push, Gujarat Titans posted 155/8 in their 20 overs.
- Arshad Khan made 15.
- Rahul Tewatia scored 7.
- Jason Holder scored 7.
- Rashid Khan scored 7.
Krunal Pandya struck three times for RCB, while Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar each took two wickets, ensuring Gujarat couldn’t recover after the early setbacks.
Royal Challengers Bangalore chase: Kohli’s finishing touch
RCB began their chase of 156 calmly and then accelerated as the match progressed. The target was reached with time to spare, with the innings finishing at 161/5 in 18 overs.
- Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls, turning out to be the decisive factor.
- Kohli struck at 178.57, smashing nine fours and three sixes.
- Venkatesh Iyer scored 32 off 16 balls and added important momentum in the powerplay.
- Tim David made 24 and helped keep the chase moving.
- For Gujarat Titans, Rashid Khan took two wickets.
During his knock, Kohli also reached his fastest IPL half-century—coming off just 25 deliveries—before pushing on to remain not out.
Pitch questions, powerplay blame and the bigger picture of GT’s campaign
When asked whether the pitch played slower or behaved like a two-paced surface, Gill acknowledged there was some movement early, especially in the first overs.
- Gill said there was “maybe a little bit” of assistance for fast bowlers in the initial two or three overs.
- He noted that Gujarat lost a couple of early wickets and then struggled to build momentum in the middle overs.
- Gill added that despite the setbacks, the team stayed in the contest because in finals, scores of 150 or 160 can still be chased if early wickets fall during the powerplay.
Gill also addressed whether Gujarat’s bowlers responded a touch too late. He accepted that the powerplay cost them runs.
- Gill agreed that 15–20 runs more than needed in the powerplay hurt their chances.
- He said if Gujarat had restricted RCB to about 50–55 in that phase, the match could have stayed alive.
- Gill concluded that RCB “got away a little bit” during the powerplay.
Even with the final defeat, Gill framed GT’s IPL 2026 journey as a special run. Gujarat began poorly but regrouped strongly, finishing the league stage in second place.
- GT lost to RCB in Qualifier 1.
- They then bounced back by beating Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in Qualifier 2.
- Gill said RCB’s ability to win games once again proved decisive, as the defending champions claimed their second IPL title.
On the tournament awards front, Gujarat’s bowling unit led the way. Kagiso Rabada won the Purple Cap with 17 wickets. Rashid Khan took 21 wickets, while Mohammed Siraj finished with 19, placing them fourth and seventh respectively.
Gill summed up the bowling approach by highlighting how the side improved after an early setback, describing their willingness to challenge themselves and fine-tune “5 per cent factors” throughout the campaign.
- He said Gujarat were among the best bowling sides in the tournament.
- He credited the team’s comeback after the first couple of games and the mindset of continuous improvement.
In batting, Gill finished second in the Orange Cap race, behind Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who led with 776 runs. Gill amassed 732 runs in 16 matches, averaging 45.75 and striking at 163.02. Meanwhile, Sudharsan placed third with 722 runs from 17 games.
Despite missing out on the trophy, Gill insisted he was pleased with the overall effort. He said they could not get over the line, but there were still aspects the group wanted to work on—adding that those improvements remain necessary even when you win.
