Royal Challengers Bengaluru will chase in tonight’s final after Rajat Patidar won the toss in Ahmedabad, a venue that is technically Gujarat Titans’ home ground but is assigned to RCB as defending champions. Patidar’s call matched RCB’s stated preference; Shubman Gill admitted he would have batted first anyway after Titans conceded more than 250 while chasing in Qualifier 1.
RCB make no alterations to the side that won that qualifier. Phil Salt remains unavailable with a hand injury picked up mid-tournament; he travelled home for scans, returned, but has not recovered fully. Venkatesh Iyer again misses out despite a brisk 19 off nine balls last time out. Leg-spinner Suyash Sharma also sits out, the management favouring an extra seamer in Jacob Duffy, whose three wickets helped unpick Titans earlier in the week.
Titans bring back left-arm seamer Arshad Khan, preferred to Kulwant Khejroliya, who stepped in during Qualifier 1 when a minor fitness concern ruled Arshad out. Left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore is listed among the potential Impact Players, allowing Gujarat to react if the surface shows turn. Should they chase leather again, Prasidh Krishna is a likely substitute during the defence.
Both clubs are hunting a second IPL crown. It is Titans’ third final in just five seasons, a rapid rise underlining the stability of Gill’s leadership. RCB lifted the trophy last year batting first, yet are happy to revert to the role of chasers in what promises to be a high-scoring contest.
Teams
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
1 Virat Kohli, 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Rajat Patidar (c), 4 Krunal Pandya, 5 Tim David, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Jacob Duffy, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Rasikh Salam.
Impact options: Venkatesh Iyer, Kanishk Chohan, Swapnil Singh, Abhinandan Singh, Jordan Cox.
Gujarat Titans
1 Shubman Gill (c), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Washington Sundar, 5 Nishant Sindhu, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Arshad Khan, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Mohammed Siraj.
Impact options: Prasidh Krishna, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra, R Sai Kishore.
Key points at a glance
• RCB unchanged; will chase.
• Titans recall Arshad Khan, Kulwant Khejroliya drops out.
• Sai Kishore retained as Impact-Player option for extra spin.
• Phil Salt still sidelined; Jacob Duffy keeps his spot.
• Both sides seeking a second IPL title; Titans in their third final in five years.
Expectations and analysis
Ahmedabad has served up quick outfields and true pitches all season, which explains both captains’ focus on balancing seam and spin options. RCB’s decision to chase reflects confidence in a batting unit anchored by Virat Kohli and boosted by lower-order hitters such as Romario Shepherd. Titans, meanwhile, will hope the Gill–Sai Sudharsan partnership settles early; their middle overs have occasionally stalled, leaving too much for power-hitters Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan.
Bowling depth could prove decisive. RCB lean on the experience of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood up front, with Duffy offering variation at the death. Titans counter with genuine pace from Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, plus Rashid’s guile in the middle. Arshad Khan’s left-arm angle adds welcome diversity.
With temperatures hovering in the mid-30s and little dew expected, batting first should not become a disadvantage. Yet recent finals suggest nerves can squeeze runs more effectively than any bowler, so a brisk start may set the tone. Above all, the two most settled XIs of the season meet tonight; small margins, rather than wholesale tactics, are likely to settle the title.
