The Gujarat Titans’ journey to the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad was severely delayed by thunderstorms, leaving them with minimal preparation time against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This disruption, which also cancelled the captains’ photoshoot, has sparked widespread criticism on social media regarding the playoff scheduling and its fairness.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 final against the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Ahmedabad, the Gujarat Titans have faced unexpected circumstances following their delay in travelling to Gujarat’s capital city for the title clash.
RCB and GT will lock horns for the much-anticipated battle for supremacy in front of over 1 lakh spectators at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The RCB, led by Rajat Patidar, were the first to qualify for the final after defeating GT in Qualifier 1, while the Shubman Gill-led side defeated the Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 to book their berth in the title clash.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans are set to face off for the fourth time in the IPL 2026, having previously encountered each other twice in the league stage and once in Qualifier 1. The upcoming title clash in Ahmedabad is expected to be a high-stakes encounter, as both teams look to leave their mark on the 2026 season.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Final: RCB’s Rajat Patidar urges team to ‘stay in present’
GT’s Arrival in Ahmedabad Delayed
As the IPL 2026 Final is set to take place in less than 24 hours, the Gujarat Titans’ squad has been hit with a travel schedule disruption caused by severe thunderstorms in Chandigarh. According to the report by ESPN Cricinfo, the GT squad was scheduled to travel to Ahmedabad on Saturday afternoon following their victory over the Rajasthan Royals on Friday, May 29.
However, the travel was severely hampered by inclement weather, as severe thunderstorms and heavy rain in Chandigarh made it impossible for their charter flight to depart as planned. As a result, the Shubman Gill-led squad’s arrival in Ahmedabad was pushed to late Saturday night, allowing them limited preparations for the high-stakes final.
Shubman Gill addressed the press conference in Mullanpur, while Rajat Patidar held his media interaction at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Therefore, there was no pre-final captains’ photoshoot with the IPL trophy, as the Gujarat Titans captain was unable to travel to Ahmedabad in time for the scheduled session due to the weather-induced flight delays in Chandigarh.
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Traditionally, the IPL playoffs have often been staged across two venues. However, for the first time in the history of the tournament, the knockout stages have taken place at three venues: Dharamshala for Qualifier 1, Mullanpur for Eliminator and Qualifier 2, and Ahmedabad for the final.
Meanwhile, the RCB squad arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, May 27, a day after their Qualifier 1 win over GT on May 26, and had two training sessions ahead of the much-anticipated title clash. GT, on the other hand, will not have a training session before the final.
Social Media Erupts: Criticism Mounts Over Titans’ Travel Hurdles
Gujarat Titans’ delay in travelling to Ahmedabad ahead of the IPL 2026 Final against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru has sparked a wave of reactions on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts criticising the schedule gap between the playoffs and the final.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts expressed frustration over the late arrival, calling it unfair to GT, pointing out limited rest and no practice before the final, and questioning the scheduling that gave RCB more recovery time.
Others argued that the delay was unavoidable due to extreme weather conditions in Chandigarh, while some still felt GT were at a disadvantage with less recovery time and no proper practice ahead of the final.
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Since there is no reserve day for the IPL 2026 final, the weather-induced travel delay adds an extra layer of pressure for the Gujarat Titans, as they must transition directly from their late-night arrival into the title clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The GT will have their practice hours before the final in Ahmedabad, providing them with a brief, final window to acclimate to the pitch conditions and finalise their strategy before stepping onto the field to compete for the trophy against the defending champions, RCB.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Final: Mental toughness key to win, says GT’s Shubman Gill