IPL 2026: GT win toss, elect to bowl first against RCB at Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bowl first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match on Thursday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, Gill noted that the pitch offers early swing and that dew could make chasing easier later. He stressed that the next two matches are crucial for their tournament hopes and acknowledged RCB’s strong form as defending champions. Gill also confirmed an unchanged playing 11 from their previous match.

“We are going to bowl first. The surface gives swing in the first 4-5 overs. Want to chase in case there is dew. These two games will determine how far we go in the tournament. They are playing some good cricket, they are the defending champions. The mood is nice and light. It’s about having the right attitude. Same team as the last game,” Gill said at the toss presentations.

Gujarat Titans have had a mixed IPL 2026 campaign so far. Out of eight matches under, they have won four and lost four, and are fifth on the points table. With eight points and a negative net run rate of -0.475, they will be aiming to turn their form around with a much-needed victory.

RCB, meanwhile, have been in excellent form, looking every bit like defending champions. They have also played eight matches and have won six of them, and are positioned second on the points table. A victory on Thursday would take the Rajat Patidar-led side to the top of the standings.

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Manav Suthar.

GT Impact Sub options: Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Nishant Sindhu, Kulwant Khejroliya

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood.

RCB Impact Sub options: Rasikh Dar, Jordan Cox, Manges Yadav, Vicky Ostwal, Venkatesh Iyer. (ANI)