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RCB’s top fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar is in agreement with all the plans made against Gujarat Titans’ top three players, especially Shubman Gill, who scored a brilliant century in the last game and will prove to be monumental for his team’s performance in this encounter.
Royal Challengers Bangalore, on the other hand, won the toss and chose to bowl first, which clearly shows that they want to rely on the natural ability of their bowlers, as they are one of the highest wicket-taking teams in the season.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be crucial for them in this final, as he remains one of the most experienced bowlers to have featured in an IPL final, along with the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Krunal Pandya. He is also the second highest wicket taker in the season.
Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan’s extraordinary season at the top
RCB indeed have their own plans for a second consecutive final in the IPL 2026 season, as captain Rajat Patidar announced that they will let the Gujarat Titans bat first, despite their extraordinary record of five-match wins while batting first in Ahmedabad.
Although the Titans have often been criticized for the weaknesses of their batting line-up, the GT openers have played out-of-this-world cricket. Both the batsmen have scored 700+ runs this season and have had exceptional seasons with the bat.
Opening the innings, Sudarshan and Indian captain Shubman Gill have scored 886 runs alone this season till the last match. They also made a big partnership of 167 runs while chasing a big target in the second qualifier.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has issued a big warning to GT captain Shubman Gill
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is one of RCB’s biggest weapons with the new ball, and he will be crucial for them when they bowl against the in-form Shubman Gill, who has displayed an exceptional record at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
When Bhuvneshwar Kumar was asked about his plans against the GT captain, he immediately commented that his focus will not be just on the captain but on the entire GT top order, as they have been remarkable this season.
“It will definitely happen. I won’t talk only about Shubman. Their other batsmen are also there. Their top-three are heavily dependent on them, and they are scoring runs. Yes, absolutely, the plan has been made, and the execution will be there, but let’s see whose day it is,” Bhuvneshwar Kumar said.
Jos Buttler surprised by RCB’s huge fan base at GT’s home ground
Before the start of the big match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Gujarat Titans wicketkeeper Jos Buttler already knew that the home crowd would not be in his favor at his home ground.
This was seen when RCB won the toss, and the fans in those stands cheered loudly soon after. A joy that even the great AB de Villiers said he had never heard of before.
Buttler joked about his home ground advantage, saying, “It’s familiar to us. Obviously, we’ve played a lot of cricket here. We know what to expect, but it definitely won’t be a home crowd.”
Also read: RCB vs GT Impact Players Today: Toss Report, Playing XI, Latest Updates IPL 2026 Final
