New Delhi: Gujarat Titans won the toss and elected to bowl first against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a crucial IPL 2026 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.Gujarat Titans once again dropped the fast bowler. Prasad Krishna Despite his impressive comeback this season. The right-arm pacer, who has taken 12 wickets in seven matches and is among the team’s leading wicket-takers, was left out of the playing XI for the second game in a row.Gill confirmed at the toss that the Titans were unchanged from their previous outing – a resounding eight-wicket win against Chennai Super Kings – but did not explain Prasad’s absence.“We’re going to bowl first. Feels a little dry, a little rough. The first four or five overs can give us a little bit of swing, and if there’s a dew, we always like to chase it,” Gill said.Gill backs up the situation, emphasizing the importance of the home stretch.The GT captain emphasized the importance of fixtures in the context of the tournament, especially with back-to-back home games.“The two points are very important 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 also acknowledged the challenge posed by RCB, adding, “They are the defending champions and are playing some really good cricket. Hopefully it will be a heck of a game.”Reflecting on the team’s morale, he added, “After the last match, the mood is great — breezy and light. It’s about giving everything you’ve got and giving it the right effort.”Patidar confident despite coming into batRCB captain Rajat Patidar Admitted that he too would have preferred to field first but remained confident of posting a strong total.“Obviously, we wanted to field first, but in the IPL, these are usually good wickets to bat on. There is a bit of grass, but I don’t think that will help much. We will try to put up a good total and put them under pressure,” Patidar said.He also highlighted the team’s collective efforts 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, is going with an unchanged line-up.
GT vs RCB Playing XI
- Gujarat Titans XI:
Shabman Gul (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (w), Jason Holder, Shah Rukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammad Siraj, Manav Sathar - Royal Challengers Bengaluru XI: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethel, Dev Dutt Padikal, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (W), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood
