Built on plan: How RCB bowlers outthought and outplayed Gujarat Titans in IPL final

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s careful planning paid off handsomely in the IPL 2026 final as their pace attack dismantled the Gujarat Titans batting line-up with a relentless barrage of hard lengths and short deliveries in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

On a surface where timing the ball proved difficult, the RCB seamers quickly learned that the most effective route to success was to pitch the ball short of a length and force the batsmen onto the back foot. A masterclass in execution ensued as Gujarat repeatedly fell into the same trap.

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Josh Hazlewood set the tone by removing Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill for 10. Gill showed his intent by pouncing on the Australian early, but Hazlewood responded with a delivery that soared over the surface. The pull attempt produced only a leading edge, with Rajat Patidar completing the catch.

Sai Sudharsan soon followed. Bhuvneshwar Kumar resisted the temptation to pitch the ball and instead continued to test the left-hander with short deliveries. Sudharsan’s attempted ramp shot against the rising ball resulted in a top edge that was safely hit by the keeper, leaving Gujarat without their two top scorers.

After discovering the effectiveness of this approach, RCB refused to deviate. Rasikh Salam Dar introduced Nishant Sindhu after spotting the bat moving down the court and responded with another delivery that hit the surface. A mistimed strike found Devdutt Padikkal in the deep, making it three wickets on balls driven into the wicket.

Although Washington Sundar was given a reprieve after a fine-leg catch was overturned in review, the warning signs remained. Jacob Duffy sped him into an ill-timed move with another short delivery, reinforcing the challenges the batsmen faced against RCB’s pace strategy.

Hazlewood returned to ensure Gujarat’s woes deepened further. Arshad Khan, looking to accelerate, was bowled by a hard length ball and lashed his pull shot to the waiting fielder as the Titans slumped to 99 for 5 in the 15th over.

The pressure never let up. Every attempt by the Gujarat Titans to break free was met with another breakthrough. Rahul Tewatia was the next victim as Rasikh Salam extracted extra grip from a cross-seam delivery. The ball bounced off the surface, took the inner half of Tewatia’s bat and puffed towards mid on, reducing Gujarat to 115 for 6.

RCB’s short ball strategy then claimed another wicket. Bhuvneshwar Kumar buried one down the pitch to Jason Holder, who was rushed on the pull and could only manage the rising top edge. Josh Hazlewood settled under a skier at short third to complete the catch and highlighted how effectively the Bengaluru seamen used the conditions during the innings.

What stood out was not just the goals, but the consistency of approach. Instead of looking for swing or overusing the slower deliveries, RCB trusted the surface and repeatedly attacked the link of the bat with hard lengths. The steep bounce and variable pace made clean shots difficult, while Gujarat’s batsmen were forced into awkward shots and ramps.

In the latter stages of the innings, the pattern was unmistakable. The RCB bowlers identified the most productive method on the Ahmedabad pitch and executed it with remarkable discipline. Each wicket reinforced the same message: on a surface offering help to seamers, hard lengths and short balls were the most potent weapons and Bengaluru used them to perfection on the biggest stage of the season.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

31 May 2026 21:15 IST