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Gujarat Titans' dominant show in the IPL 2026 finally came to an end on May 31 after suffering a heartbreaking five-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the grand final. GT cruised into the IPL 2026 final after putting on an absolutely stunning show in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals. However, their ultimate hurdle required them to face RCB, the relentless defending champions. RCB played like absolute champions throughout the season, dominating the top of the table during the back end of the tournament. The most impressive feature of this Bengaluru outfit was their lack of reliance on just one or two star players; instead, it was a collective effort where different individuals stood up whenever the team needed them most.
If we would have got close to 180-190, it would have been a good match: Shubman Gill
By crossing the finish line on the grand stage, RCB have carved their names into elite league folklore. Prior to this, only the Chennai Super Kings (2010 and 2011) and the Mumbai Indians (2019 and 2020) had ever managed to win the coveted trophy in consecutive seasons. With this victory, RCB officially becomes only the third franchise in history to achieve this massive back-to-back IPL feat.
On the other side of the ledger, a dejected Shubman Gill was left to reflect on a season that ended in heartbreak. Having missed out on the ultimate glory by such a fine margin, the Titans' skipper noted that falling significantly short of a competitive total on the board was the definitive turning point that cost his side the championship.
"If we would have got close to 180-190, it would have been a good match. First three four overs there is some movement for the fast bowlers and we lost momentum after losing a couple of early wickets. We gave away 15-20 runs in the powerplay. I think we were one of the best bowling sides in the tournament," Gill said at the post-match presentation.
"After losing the first couple of games, we came back. Very happy. We couldn't get over the line, but there would have always been areas to improve even if we had won the trophy," Gill added on his team's performances in the season," he added.
Heading into the blockbuster clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium, a venue where Gujarat skipper historically enjoyed immense success for both franchise and country, expectations were sky-high. Gill was coming off a stupendous, form-defining innings in his previous outing, making him the ultimate prize for the RCB bowlers.
The defending champions dealt a massive psychological blow by dismissing Gill cheaply early in the match, and the disaster compounded when his prolific opening partner, Sai Sudharsan, followed him back to the dugout in the very next over. Despite the early heartbreak in the final, the duo enjoyed a historic season individually, with both crossing the 700-run milestone while racking up a century and nearly a dozen fifty-plus scores between them.
As a tandem, Gill and Sudharsan amassed a staggering 908 runs in opening partnerships throughout the tournament, single-handedly masking the vulnerabilities of Gujarat's sloppy middle order. By crossing the 900-run partnership milestone and setting records for the most half-century and century stands in a single season, the Titans' opening pair have set a whole new universe of success in IPL history.
RCB bowlers ensured that captain Rajat Patidar never had to second-guess his decision to bowl first after winning the toss in the IPL 2026 final. This tactical approach was a tactical shift from the previous season, where the Challengers secured their maiden title by batting first and successfully defending their total against the Punjab Kings.
RCB's bowling unit executed their plans flawlessly from the outset. While veteran leaders Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar provided the perfect start by snaring crucial top-order wickets, young speedster Rasikh Salam Dar broke the back of the batting lineup by striking almost every time he was handed the ball. Deprived of any meaningful partnerships, the Gujarat Titans were completely suffocated and restricted to a below-par 155.
Virat Kohli's masterclass takes the game away from GT
Any hopes, GT bowlers had of staging a dramatic fightback were quickly extinguished by Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer. The RCB openers broke the back of the chase early with a blistering partnership, highlighted by Kohli fearlessly taking the attack to Kagiso Rabada while Iyer provided excellent, steady support from the other end.
Even a magical opening spell from Afghanistan's spin wizard Rashid Khan could not derail the chase. Kohli put on a clinic to remind everyone why he is heralded as the ultimate chasemaster, anchoring the innings to cross the finish line with a masterful, unbeaten 75. This performance earned him the Player of the Match honors and saw him overtake former Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma for a historic milestone.
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