RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final Predicted Playing 11: Phil Salt IN, Venkates…

RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru have marched into the final for the second successive year as they get ready to face 2022 winners Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 title clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. RCB were in sizzling form as they crushed GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 in Dharamshala to book their berth in the final. bettingx.club

Rajat Patidar’s RCB have been boosted by the addition of England opener Phil Salt in their squad. Salt was ruled out for more than three weeks due to a finger injury and had returned to England to recover at home before rejoining the squad ahead of the Playoffs stages.

Salt, who was retained for Rs 11.5 crore by RCB ahead of IPL 2026 season, scored 202 runs in 6 matches at a strike-rate of 168.33 before getting sidelined. It will be interesting to see if the IPL 2025 winners will risk playing with Salt in the crucial clash along side Virat Kohli.

If Salt is not fully fit to play, the Venkatesh Iyer will continue to open the batting alongside Kohli. Iyer was signed up for Rs 7 crore at the IPL 2026 mini auction last year and has scored 177 runs in 6 matches with a strike-rate of 184.37 with 1 fifty to his name.

Also Read | ICC board meeting 2026: Mohsin Naqvi declines invitation to visit Ahmedabad, PCB chief will now…

RCB may also look to add additional spin bowling option in leg-spinner Suyash Sharma in place of New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy considering the hot and humid conditions in Ahmedabad. Suyash has played in only 12 matches so far this season and claimed 9 wickets. Duffy has also claimed 9 wickets in 5 matches only.

“If you want to win this competition, you need a good bowling attack. It is important to take wickets because these days it is easy to score 200 or 220. But defending those totals is more difficult, so you need a better bowling side. Both teams have the same strength in that regard. The way both teams have bowled throughout the tournament has been outstanding,” RCB captain Rajat Patidar said in the pre-match press conference in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

Shubman Gill’s GT, on the other hand, will be concerned by the form of their middle order. While captain Gill and his opening partner Sai Sudharsan have been topping the run-scoring charts with 722 runs and 710 runs respectively, most of the middle-order barring no. 3 Jos Buttler with 507 runs have struggled so far this season.

Even in Qualifier 1, GT batting fell apart when Gill and Sudharsan were dismissed early. In the Qualifier 2 match, Gill was reluctant to use left-arm spinner R. Sai Kishore with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ravindra Jadeja batting through majority of the innings. It will be interesting to see if Kishore will have an impact with RCB line-up filled with majority of right-handed batters.

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Tonight, we await our next champions #TATAIPL | #Final | #TheFinalLeap | #RCBvGT pic.twitter.com/tP4eonvCOb

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans IPL 2026 Final match Predicted 12

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer/Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam, Jacob Duffy/Suyash Sharma

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj

There was a moment in the post-match press conference at Bristol that said everything about Sree Charani.

In an era where spinners are often obsessed with mystery deliveries, endless variations and disguises, Charani’s answer was refreshingly simple.

When asked what she considered her greatest strength, the left-arm spinner replied: “My strength is turning the ball.”

Sometimes, the simplest answers reveal the deepest understanding of a craft.

Charani’s performance in Bristol was another reminder of why she has rapidly become one of India’s most important T20 bowlers. While India endured a difficult evening as England levelled the series, Charani once again emerged as one of the brightest positives.

Her figures of three wickets were not merely about numbers. They reflected control, intelligence and an increasingly mature understanding of T20 cricket.

The growth has been remarkable.

When Charani first broke into the Indian side following a strong Women’s Premier League campaign, she was raw but promising. The talent was evident. The wickets came. Yet there was also a sense that she was still discovering her identity as an international cricketer.

Over the last year, however, that transformation has been striking.

England, in particular, has become a happy hunting ground.

In seven T20Is against England, Charani has now claimed 14 wickets at an average of 14.14, a strike rate of 11.9 and an economy rate of 7.11. Those numbers underline just how effective she has been against one of the strongest batting line-ups in women’s cricket.

What makes her success particularly impressive is the manner in which she goes about her business.

Unlike many modern spinners who often prioritise pace variations, Charani remains committed to extracting turn. She understands that her greatest weapon is not deception but allowing the ball enough time to grip and spin.

That philosophy was visible throughout her spell in Bristol. The pitch offered assistance to the slower bowlers and Charani exploited it expertly. She bowled with control, challenged the batters repeatedly and ensured England never settled completely against her.

Sree Charani continues to impress in England!

From being a raw talent after the WPL to becoming India’s go-to middle-overs bowler, Charani’s growth has been remarkable. Her secret? As she puts it: “My strength is turning the ball.”

Why the left-arm spinner has become one of… pic.twitter.com/Q17S3Se2am

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) May 31, 2026

One delivery in particular highlighted her development.

Asked about the dismissal of Heather Knight, Charani revealed the thought process behind it.

“I saw her stepping out. That’s why I bowled it slow.”

It was a simple explanation, yet one that demonstrated her growing awareness. The young spinner was not merely executing plans; she was reading batters, anticipating movements and reacting accordingly.

That level of game awareness is often what separates promising bowlers from international match-winners.

Another notable aspect of Charani’s evolution is her adaptability across phases of an innings.

Traditionally viewed as a middle-overs specialist, she is increasingly showing that she can contribute at the death as well. Against England, she even delivered a tight over late in the innings, conceding very little when the batters were looking to accelerate.

When questioned about the difference between bowling in the middle overs and at the death, Charani explained: “My approach doesn’t change a lot. But yes, the lines and lengths changes. I just concentrate on a more fuller line and length in the death, because the batters will be trying to hit.”

It is the answer of a bowler who understands situations without abandoning her core strengths.

For India, that is immensely encouraging.

The middle overs remain one of the most decisive phases in T20 cricket. Teams that dominate this period often dictate the course of the game. Having a bowler capable of controlling scoring rates while simultaneously taking wickets is invaluable.

Charani is increasingly becoming that bowler.

Her emergence also provides India with welcome stability at a time when they are still searching for their ideal bowling combinations. Every successful side needs certainty in key roles, and Charani appears to have firmly established herself as the leader of India’s spin attack through the middle overs.

Perhaps the most reassuring aspect is that she knows exactly what makes her successful.

“My strength is turning the ball.”

Those words may sound uncomplicated, but they capture the essence of a spinner who has resisted the temptation to chase trends and instead trusted her natural ability.

England has witnessed that ability repeatedly over the last year.

And if Bristol is anything to go by, Sree Charani’s journey is only just beginning.

For more updates on INDW vs ENGW, follow RevSportz

The post Sree Charani’s England Love Affair Continues: How India’s Left-Arm Spinner Has Become a T20I Match-Winner appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.

India’s current T20 skipper Suryakumar Yadav, along with Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, are the two prominent names missing, while teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been inducted into the 30-strong longlist of men’s probables that the BCCI has submitted to the IOA for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.

It has been pre-decided that the BCCI will need to select two separate T20 teams as India’s home white-ball series against the West Indies (September 27 to October 17) overlaps partly with the quadrennial extravaganza.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

New Delhi [India], May 31 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday began his Mann Ki Baat radio programme with recent achievements of Indian athletes in athletics and said the national record in the 100-metre race had been broken thrice in two days at the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition 2026 in Ranchi.

PM Modi spoke with Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur, who talked about their practice, friendship and also healthy competition.

Gurindervir Singh said they were friends and helped each other in practice, but during a race, they are competitors.

Gurindervir Singh, who is in the Indian Navy, said he is country’s fastest sprinter and has created a new national record of completing the 100-metre race in 10.09 seconds.

The athlete also said that when his mother discouraged him from watching television as a child and told him to focus on studies, he had told her that she would watch him on television one day.

“Today I feel very happy when they watch me on television," Gurindervir Singh said.

Gurindervir clocked a sensational 10.09 seconds at the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition 2026 in Ranchi earlier this month, becoming the first Indian man to breach the 10.10-second barrier in the blue-riband event.

The 25-year-old’s remarkable effort rewrote the national record and secured qualification for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

Gurindervir’s record-breaking run capped a dramatic day in Ranchi. He had earlier clocked 10.17 seconds in the semifinals to briefly set a new national mark, only for fellow sprinter Animesh Kujur to surpass it moments later with a 10.15-second effort.

In the final, however, Gurindervir reclaimed the record emphatically with his historic 10.09s finish, while both he and Animesh booked their spots for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the sprinter after he became the first Indian to clock below 10.10 seconds in the men’s 100m event.

“10.09 seconds! Gurindervir Singh, you have rewritten history. The entire nation is incredibly proud of you!" Mandaviya said in a post on X. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Both captains reckon that they have an advantage when defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) collide at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in the Indian Premier League title clash today (Sunday).

Big win for RCB in Qualifier 1

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar believes they have an advantage in having rest days to recover from the physical strain after winning the Qualifier 1 convincingly against GT last Tuesday. GT captain Shubman Gill feels that they hold the advantage of playing at ‘home’.

“We, after Qualifier 1, got enough time to rest and recover. At the same time, GT is coming straight after Qualifier 2, so there will be some sort of advantage,” Patidar said while addressing the media on Saturday.

Gill spoke about venue familiarity when he addressed the media after the Qualifier 2 win over Rajasthan Royals in Mullanpur as well. “There are advantages. That’s how I see it. There’s familiarity when we play there [Motera]. We know the wicket and the ground. So, we know what kind of cricket we need to play there to be able to win. So, in that context, I see it as an advantage because there’s a little bit of familiarity,” he said on Saturday.

Gill also agreed that RCB might be physically well-rested. “Yes, physically they might have an advantage, but I think finals are all about mental [strength], so the team that is mentally up there for the challenge is the one that’s going to win.”

Gill poised to shine

The Motera ground is a happy hunting ground for Gill. He has three IPL hundreds at this 1,32,000-capacity venue and has scored 1,310 runs at a healthy strike-rate (158.40) as an opener.

One of GT’s big strengths is their new-ball attack and the Test-match length they bowl. “It varies. There’s probably a metre back or forth. So, there’s a reason why Test-match length works because it is the hardest ball to hit as a batsman with the new ball,” Gill explained.

Both GT and RCB have similar bowling prowess and Patidar believes in playing to their strengths. “It’s important to know your strength. It’s more important to look at you first and then others,” he said.

Road to the final (RCB)

March 28
Beat SRH by 6 wickets

April 5
Beat CSK by 43 runs

April 10
Lost to RR by 6 wickets

April 12
Beat MI by 18 runs

April 15
Beat LSG by 5 wickets

April 18
Lost to DC by 6 wickets

April 24
Beat GT by 5 wickets

April 27
Beat DC by 9 wickets

April 30
Lost to GT by 4 wickets

May 7
Lost to LSG by 9 runs

May 10
Beat MI by 2 wickets

May 13
Beat KKR by 6 wickets

May 17
Beat PBKS by 23 runs

May 22
Lost to SRH by 55 runs

May 26 (Qualifier 1)
Beat GT by 92 runs

Road to the final (GT)

March 31
Lost to PBKS by 3 wickets

April 4
Lost to RR by 6 runs

April 8
Beat DC by 1 run

April 12
Beat LSG by 7 wickets

April 17
Beat KKR by 5 wickets

April 20
Lost to MI by 99 runs

April 24
Lost to RCB by 5 wickets

April 26
Beat CSK by 8 wickets

April 30
Beat RCB by 4 wickets

May 3
Beat PBKS by 4 wickets

May 9
Beat RR by 77 runs

May 12
Beat SRH by 82 runs

May 16
Lost to KKR by 29 runs

May 21
Beat CSK by 89 runs

May 26 (Qualifier 1)
Lost to RCB by 92 runs

May 29 (qualifier 2)
Beat RR by 7 wickets

Five
No of times RCB have reached the IPL final since 2008 — in 2009, 2011, 2016, 2025 and 2026

Three
No of times GT have reached the IPL final in the last five years — in 2022, 2023 and 2026