Gujarat Titans’ build-up to the IPL 2026 final was not ideal as the Shubman Gill-led side arrived in Ahmedabad late. Severe weather conditions delayed the team’s arrival in Ahmedabad, leaving them with less than 24 hours to gear up for Sunday’s title clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
The Titans, who secured their place in the final with a victory over Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 on Friday, were scheduled to fly from Chandigarh on Saturday afternoon via a chartered flight.
However, heavy rain and stormy conditions across north-western India, particularly in Punjab, disrupted airport operations and delayed multiple departures from Chandigarh. As a result, the Gujarat Titans reached Ahmedabad only around 10:30 pm on Saturday, significantly reducing their preparation time ahead of the summit clash at their home venue.
The scheduling challenge comes after the BCCI’s decision to stage the IPL playoffs across three different venues this season, making it the first time a team has had to travel just a day before the final.
In contrast, RCB arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday and have benefited from additional recovery and training time before their second consecutive IPL final appearance.
India legend Sunil Gavaskar believes that the IPL 2026 final should have been postponed by a day to be a ‘little fair’ to the Gujarat Titans.
“Yes, definitely. Make no mistake, players require rest. You didn’t know when your flight was taking off, so there was anxiousness, which means you are mentally also off apart from the physical toll,” Sunil Gavaskar told India Today.
“So, I thought with a reserve day in place, considering what happened was completely unexpected, they could have pushed the final to tomorrow, just to be a little fair to the Gujarat Titans team.”
Speaking ahead of the contest, RCB captain Rajat Patidar acknowledged that his team’s early arrival could offer a slight advantage but insisted it would not be decisive.
“After Qualifier 1, we got enough time to rest and recover. At the same time, GT are coming straight from Qualifier 2. There is some sort of advantage, but not a huge one because both teams are very good and have played excellent cricket,” Patidar said, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Weather remains a talking point in Ahmedabad, which is set to host its fourth IPL final. Current forecasts indicate clear conditions for Sunday’s match, although memories remain fresh of the rain-hit 2023 final between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans. That contest spilled into the reserve day and eventually concluded in the early hours after organisers extended the playing window by two hours.
Gujarat Titans will be chasing their second IPL title after winning the trophy in 2022. They narrowly missed out on a back-to-back title in 2023, losing to Chennai Super Kings off the final ball in one of the most dramatic IPL finals, with Ravindra Jadeja’s late heroics sealing CSK’s fifth title.