NEW DELHI: Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a pivotal IPL 2026 encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Gujarat Titans Opt to Field First
Gill confirmed that the Titans are fielding an unchanged lineup from their previous match, an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings. However, pacer Prasidh Krishna was once again omitted from the playing XI, despite being among the team's leading wicket-takers with 12 wickets in seven matches. This marks the second consecutive game that Krishna has been left out.
Speaking at the toss, Gill explained the decision to bowl first: "We are going to bowl first. Looks a little dry, a little patchy. The first four or five overs can give us a bit of swing, and just in case if there's any dew, we always like to chase it."
Importance of Home Games Highlighted
The GT skipper underscored the significance of this fixture in the tournament context, especially with consecutive home games ahead. "Very important two points for us. The next two games, including this one at home, are going to determine where we stand and how far we go in the tournament," he noted. Gill acknowledged the challenge posed by RCB, stating, "They are the defending champions and have been playing some really good cricket. Hopefully, it's going to be one heck of a game." Reflecting on team morale after the last win, he added, "The mood is pretty nice — breezy and light. It's about giving everything you have and putting in the right effort."
RCB Captain Confident Despite Batting First
RCB captain Rajat Patidar admitted that he too would have preferred to field first but remained confident about posting a strong total. "Obviously, we were looking to field first, but in the IPL, these are generally good wickets to bat on. There's a bit of grass, but I don't think it will help too much. We'll look to put up a good total and put them under pressure," Patidar said. He highlighted the team's collective effort this season: "The way we have played so far has been great. Every player has stepped up for the team. Different players performing in different matches is always a positive sign." Patidar confirmed that RCB, like GT, are going in with an unchanged lineup.
Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans XI: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (w), Jason Holder, Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Manav Suthar
Royal Challengers Bengaluru XI: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood
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