The IPL 2026 final started badly for the Gujarat Titans, as the top order slipped early in Ahmedabad. Asked to bat first by defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the Shubman Gill-led side lost both openers within the powerplay, and a bold call to hold Jos Buttler back quickly came under scrutiny.
The surprise promotion of youngster Nishant Sindhu to No.3, instead of Buttler, drew instant reaction from commentators. Former South Africa and RCB batter AB de Villiers questioned the strategy on air, calling the move defensive when the Gujarat Titans already looked unsettled after early wickets in the IPL 2026 final.
IPL 2026 final selection call on Jos Buttler and AB de Villiers' reaction
The Gujarat Titans think tank, led by head coach Ashish Nehra, chose Sindhu at one-drop after Gill fell. Many expected Buttler
to walk in after the captain's dismissal to steady the innings. Instead, the experienced England batter stayed in the dugout while Sindhu tried to rebuild during the IPL 2026 final.
Speaking on the broadcast, de Villiers said, "Don't want to risk Buttler early, pushing him back. I can relate to this because I was in that position throughout my career. So, there are two sides of the story, and they have decided to go ahead with that tonight. "
De Villiers added, "Push Buttler back, make the batting lineup seem a bit deeper. " When asked directly if the ploy looked conservative, de Villiers responded, "It's defensive, and I don't like it. Is that clear enough?" The criticism highlighted concerns about holding back a proven match-winner in the IPL 2026 final.
IPL 2026 final early wickets, score details and Orange Cap table
The plan with Sindhu at No.3 did not deliver the rescue Gujarat Titans needed. The left-hander managed 20 runs from 18 balls before Rasikh Salam Dar dismissed Sindhu. By then, the innings had already slowed, with Gujarat trying to recover from the twin strikes that set back their IPL 2026 final chase.
Josh Hazlewood triggered the slide by removing Gill for 10 in the third over with a short ball. In the very next over, Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck, sending Sai Sudharsan back for 12. With both in-form openers dismissed early, Gujarat Titans faced mounting pressure in the IPL 2026 final.
The early dismissals also settled the race for the season's top scorer. With Gill and Sudharsan failing to pass Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's tally, the Orange Cap stayed with Sooryavanshi, who finished the IPL 2026 campaign on 776 runs, underlining a consistent tournament even as others faltered on the final day.
Earlier, RCB captain Patidar had chosen to bowl after winning the toss in the IPL 2026 final. Patidar said, "It's a pretty good wicket. The ball will come nicely on the bat, but to be honest, it will not change in the 40 overs. So we'll try to get them as early as possible. "
RCB entered the IPL 2026 final as defending champions after beating Punjab Kings at the same venue in the IPL 2025 title match. A win over Gujarat Titans would make Patidar the third captain, after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, to lift the trophy in consecutive seasons.
Reflecting on that chance, Patidar said, "A lot of memories last year, but I think it was in 2025. It's 2026. We have to do our best to win this match. That's important, to keep yourself in the present, not to be too far ahead. Let's control the controllables; that's it. We always love to play in this stadium because of the crowd, the way they come, and especially the RCB supporters - the 12th man army. They came to every stadium and supported us. " As Gujarat Titans tried to recover from their early collapse, the IPL 2026 final continued under intense pressure and high expectations.
